Congress slams BJP over employee's death

Silchar, Feb 17: The death of Ranjanpada Deb, a municipal inspector of Silchar Municipal Board, who committed suicide on Friday due to non-payment of salary for the last 11 months, has come as a tool to Congress to slam the BJP-led Board for it. 

Partha Ranjan Chakraborty, spokesperson of Silchar District Congress Committee, along with Ajit Singh, former minister, Sajal Banik, leader of opposition in the Board, and other members, at a press-meet at Indira Bhawan here today, said since the time of the Congress Government in power, the salary of all sections of employees of the boards across the state of Assam were paid regularly.

 Besides, “Our party led successive governments have been not only careful but also attentive to the basic problems of the employees and also towards the infrastructure needs”, Chakraborty added to say. But, during the 22 month rule of BJP led government at Dispur, things have gone from bad to worse in the administration. Employees are without salary for the last 11 months. There has been no infrastructure development. Vehicles for civic services are immobilized and are turning into jinx. The Sarbanda Sonowal Government which came to power on improving public services has no time to spare to address the problems of municipal employees.

 The fall out of the continual strike by conservancy staff, pointed out Chakraborty, can be seen on the ground. Garbage and wastes are lying at every nook and corner of towns of Barak Valley, leave aside this town. All sorts of services have come to a halt and there seems to be no remedy in sight. The abomible smell emating from the piled up garbage has made public life distressing. Ajit Singh said the suicide by Ranjanpada Deb has shaken the employees on strike, but not the chairman Niharendra rayan Thakur.

 Deb has been leading a stressful life due to the nonpayment of his salary. He could not pay the examition fees of his son, a student of 12th standard and a candidate for the fil examition that began from today. Congress demands Rs.15 lakh as compensation to the family of Deb from the state government and permanent job for his son. Ajit Singh continuing his bashing of municipal board pointed out under ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, Rs.26 lakh has been provided to this board. Still, garbage is piling, making a mockery of the cleanliness drive.

 The former minister asked where do the revenue collected from citizens go? The municipal board collects house taxes, parking fees, bazaar revenue and various other sources. The citizens are regularly paying their dues. “It is really shocking when the employees are groveling in the mire of troubles, all the ministers are camping in Tripura to dislodge Left Front Government”, Singh added. This is the priority for BJP government, he mocked. Local MLA Dilip Kumar Paul and Minister Parimal Suklabaidya from Cachar and also in-charge of Barak Valley seem to have turned a blind eye to the problems of the areas.

 Silchar District Congress Committee has demanded immediate release and payment of the salary of 11 months of all the employees and also its regularization. Next Monday, a mass protest demonstration has been planned before the Silchar Municipal Board. A memorandum cataloguing the grievances of the employees addressed to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and the minister concerned would be submitted thereafter to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar.