Lakhimpur Scribes Unhappy over DC’s Slack Response on National Register of Citizens

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: On Monday, though the people of Assam experienced epoch-making moments with the publication of the complete draft NRC as a pragmatic and concrete solution to the problem of illegal influx, the Lakhimpur district administration was not potent enough to disclose any data about the published draft.

Dr. Jeevan B, the Deputy Commissioner of the district, did not disclose any data regarding the issue in front of mediapersons or the representatives of any organization while his counterparts of other districts did the same with adequate and up-to-date data. Though the mediapersons were waiting to get the required information till 7 pm, nothing was provided to them that day. Till date they have not got the necessary data.

The journalists of Lakhimpur district had supported the DC regarding the NRC issue in order to avert any untoward incident, but the attitude of the district head with regard to disclosing the necessary data has caused discontentment among the journalists. Since statistics on the number of people excluded from the complete draft NRC are not available, it has led to confusion among people in the district. According to a source, the number of people not included in the complete draft NRC is 40,000 to 50,000 while it is 25 per cent of the total applicants by another source. Under such circumstances, these statistics have drawn a smoggy picture in the district, thereby misleading people.

On the other hand, the people and the journalists of the district have faced problems getting any kind of government information as the post of District Information and Public Relation Officer (DIPRO) has been lying vacant in the district since June 20 due to his upgradation transfer to New Delhi.

Though the charge of the post at present has been given to ADC-cum-NRC coordinator Bipul Kumar Das, he has to simultaneously perform the responsibilities of three other departments. So the journalists of the district have demanded the State government to appoint a full-fledged DIPRO in the district very soon.