Memorial suffers administration's apathy

TRIBUTE TO BLAST VICTIMS

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Oct 27: Like past seven years, this year too, the city is getting ready to pay homage to the October 30 serial blasts victims, but the memorial of the victims constructed under Ganeshguri flyover in Guwahati continued to remain in shambles. The district administration every year has been organizing a programme at the memorial in memory of the blast victims.

The memorial, which was constructed by the administration in 2012 in memory of the blast victims, is lying in dilapidated condition with dust strewn around, revealing a picture of neglect.

When this correspondent visited the memorial on Thursday, it was evident that the whole area of the memorial under the flyover lying barren.

Earlier people lighted candles and earthen lamps at the memorial but now only on October 30 the administration remembers the memorial and organizes a programme to pay homage to the blast victims.

The administration every year get the memorial clean just before October 30. This year too, the district administration today has engaged two workers to make the memorial dirt-free.   Some locals said that due to the iron fencing surrounding the memorial, people, even if wish to light a candle in memory of the victims, cannot go there as the entry point remained closed during other time of the year.

“The district administration is supposed to look after the maintence of the memorial but the officials are least concerned,” said a local shopkeeper.

Along with rest of the country , two years back the much talked about Swach Bharat Mission campaign was launched in Guwahati also, but today the memorial of October 30 blast victims in the city is facing an apathetic attitude of the authorities.

Pranita Deka, a family member of a victim, expressed disappointment over the dilapidated condition of the memorial. 

“The memorial is cleaned every year just days before October 30 only. The day is turning into a festival. Nobody takes care of it rest of the year,” Deka told The Sentinel.

“Every year on October 30, we are invited to the programme held in memory of the victims, but nobody is keen to maintain the memorial,” said Deepali Das, another family member of a victim.

The NDFB (S) had triggered nine synchronised blasts in Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta Road on October 30, 2008. The blasts claimed 90 lives and left about 800 injured.