March 31: Taking a leaf out of activist Akhil Gogoi’s book, a group of senior citizens has formed a public forum for eradication of corruption in the city.

The forum was formed on March 9 this year to eliminate corruption prevailing in society and in the government.

The executive committee of the forum comprises nine members that include Nishinath Changkakoti, Rohini Kumar Barua, writer and scribe Homen Borgohain, Kamaleswar Borah, and freedom fighter Jatin Goswami among others.

“The government has initiated several development schemes. However, the money comes from the Centre is not actually utilised in the development work and it is siphoned off by influential people in the government machinery. There are many places in the state, which are still deprived of basic civic amenities. This is not because of lack of money but because of corruption,” said Nishinath Changkakoti, president of the forum at a news conference here today.

The forum will aim at eradication of corruption by mobilising public opinion, providing concrete suggestions for enactment of new laws to the Union and state governments besides plugging the loopholes in the existing laws.

The working president of the forum, Rohini Kumar Barua, said the cancer-like malady required to be curbed at the earliest.

As concerned citizens, the public should be alert to take every possible measure to stop it, he added.

“With corruption in every sector of development like health and education, the role of public and the media is very vital. The forum can be successful in its goal provided it receives cooperation from the people,” Barua said.

With the first phase of Assam Assembly elections only three days away, the forum has appealed to the voters to cast their votes for the right candidate for a corruption-free government.

The forum wants people to maintain a vigil on the model code of conduct and activities of the political parties so that appropriate steps can be taken against any violation.

A member of the committee, Dhirendra Nath Chakraborty, said, “The media, youth power and the senior citizens are the medium which can play a vital role to check corruption. Corruption has spread its tentacles everywhere and the poor people were its worst victims.”

He said a similar public forum to fight corruption was the pre-requisite in every district of the state.

“The post of chief vigilance commission is still vacant and the Lokayukta formed in 1989 to investigate grievances and allegations of the public against dignitaries is still non-functional in Assam. This proves the lack of government initiative to check corruption. The executive committee of the forum will take short and long-term measures to achieve its objectives,” said Jagat Chandra Bora, member of the executive committee.