Guwahati: Now for yet another happy news amid the gloom of COVID. The villagers of Rangsapara, which was declared as "the cleanest village in Assam" in the year 2016-17 has reopened its doors to visitors from today. This pristine village, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Goalpara district, was closed for visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The villagers, however, are taking several precautionary measures to prevent a potential outbreak of the novel coronavirus. It has been learnt that the villagers of Rangsapara have made wearing of masks mandatory for the tourists to enter the village.
The village head has reportedly decreed that although tourists will now be allowed back, they will be turned away from the entrance of the village for the non-wearing of masks. Furthermore, the villagers will also ensure that the social distancing rules are followed, reports said.
Rangsapara, the cleanest village in Assam, on the fringes of Goalpara district bordering Meghalaya was declared cleanest village in Assam by the public health engineering department. The villagers also received a reward of rupees five lakh from the CM Sarbananda Sonowal, which he gave as a token of appreciation for the villagers' emphasis on cleanliness.
Mainly dominated by the Garo tribe, the village is not only clean, but it is also free from alcohol and drugs. The village has never witnessed any crime in several years, which makes the village a model not only for the state but for the entire country.
The main profession in Rangsapara village is agriculture, and only seven people are in government jobs. Most of the houses are kutcha, but with the help of the Indira Awas Yojana, the villagers are now getting accustomed to living in houses made of bricks.