Barak students' body submits memorandum to Gogoi

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

 SILCHAR, Jan 11: During his recent visit here, All Cachar-Karimganj-Hailakandi Students’ Association (ACKHSA) submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, highlighting various burning issues of Barak Valley. It hopes with his intervention these will find proper resolution. It is most regrettable that there is no district wise appointment of the employees of III and IV grades in the state government offices. Earlier, the officials concerned of various departments used to give effect to direct appointments against those posts. But, due to centralization of appointment at Guwahati, the candidates of this valley are being not only neglected but also deprived.

Rather, as Rupam ndi Purkayastha, advisor to the Association, said candidates from Brahmaputra Valley are being taken in the offices of this valley. It has been impressed upon him to ensure that the unemployed and educated boys and girls of the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi get their due placements. Moreover, the Chief Minister has also been urged upon to see that the jobless youths of this region get bank loans for becoming self-independent entrepreneurs.

Another problem which has been seriously affecting the people in general, particularly in rural areas, is the worst shape of road connectivity. In some places, PMGSY roads have been started, somewhere they are left unfinished. Apart from that, the condition of most of the PWD roads and highways are deplorable.

Silchar-Karimganj, Malidahar-Churaibari, Silchar-Lyallapur and Silchar-Haflong highways stand in need of immediate repair and improvement. The state government blames the Centre for not providing enough funds. Rupam ndi Purkayastha pleads for taking initiative from the state government itself, considering the difficulties faced by passenger and goods traffic. He has also strongly advocated for expeditious completion of Silchar-Saurashtra Mahasadak, better known as East-West Corridor.

It is also unfortute that though the waterways of this valley that connect Bangladesh have been declared tiol, no steps have been taken by the Inland Water Transport Corporation (IWTC) of the state government. This calls for his immediate attention. Nothing makes progress in this valley even after laying the foundation stones of schemes and projects. A glaring example is of proposed Engineering College at Bhanga near border town of Karimganj under state magement. The building remains incomplete.

ACKHSA hammers for starting the classes from the next academic session for which the intervention of the Chief Minister is sought for. Moreover, demand is also raised for declaring Silchar Medical College and Hospital as super specialty hospital. Once, this medical college gets the status of super specialty, important departments like neurology, neurosurgery, eurology, gastro entrology, cardiology, endocrinology among others will be a part of this premier centre of treatment. Patients will get the needed medical care and treatment. It has also been pointed out that the numbers of doctors and nurses which are idequate in proportion to the volume of patients have to be increased for effective delivery of services.

ACKHSA has also brought into focus the recent earthquake which shook this valley along with the entire northeast. In the wake of this tremor, many state and semi-government buildings have been damaged which need to be repaired without further delay. The damaged buildings of Silchar Medical College and Hospital have to be taken up for repair without any delay, considering the number of patients undergoing treatment. Though the official language of this valley is Bengali, the state government is making a mockery of it by continuing to send its press notes, advertisements and literature as well as other publications in Assamese. This has to stop, ACKHSA cautions.