A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: Due to the lax and indifferent policies of the Agriculture Department, an important agricultural centre at Panbari in Bokakhat has been lying abandoned since 1993. The Agricultural Research Centre under the Assam Government’s Agriculture Department, was originally established in 1982 during the tenure of then Bokakhat Congress MLA Chhatra Gopal Karmakar. It was set up on about 4.77 hectares of government land beside National Highway 37 at Panbari, Bokakhat.
Although this centre was established for the benefit of farmers of the Bokakhat Legislative Assembly Constituency, an area that plays a significant role in Assam’s agricultural sector, it has never been able to serve the farming community in any meaningful way. Instead, due to prolonged neglect by the Agriculture Department, the centre has gradually turned into a haunted and deserted place over the years.
Notably, there are only a few such Agricultural Research Centres under the Agriculture Department across the entire state. However, because of extreme inefficiency and inaction on the part of the department, this important centre has now been left completely abandoned.
The main office building has deteriorated badly and, due to the lack of care by departmental staff, the premises have turned into an overgrown wasteland. Many important machines, vehicles, and pieces of furniture have reportedly gone missing from the office. Several government residential quarters within the campus have also fallen into a state of ruin. Along with this, many important documents and records have decayed and been destroyed.
Meanwhile, half of the land under the centre has been allotted for a camp of a paramilitary force. Although many employees once posted at the centre have already retired, several government employees are still drawing salaries without any actual work being carried out at the centre. In effect, the condition of this important Agriculture Department office now reflects the proverb ‘There are cattle, but no ploughing.’
Also Read: Abandoned Vision: Rs 1-Crore Agriculture Training Centre in Assam Lies in Ruins