Land revenue hike: Committee formed at Biswath Chariali

BISWATH CHARIALI, April 9: In the public meeting held here at Bipani tya Mandir on Monday last  under the aegis of the Biswath Chariali garik Santha, an 11-member committee has been formed to handle the issue of proposed land revenue hike with the government authorities.

The meeting which was attended by the representatives from several organizations of the area, including AASU, AJYCP, Senior Citizens' Forum, Banik Santha, Small Tea Growers' Association, Gaonburha Santha and Gaon Sangathans, also discussed about other burning problems being faced by the people  of Biswath Chariali area. The meeting was chaired by Apurba K Das.

After the objective was stated by garik Santha's general secretary Bidyut Sharma, the meeting thoroughly discussed issues like the State Government's proposed hike in land revenue, appointment of a regular principal in Biswath College, development and widening of the tiol Highway 15, stoppage of the harlagun-New Delhi AC Express train at Biswath Chariali and shifting of the SBI branch to a safer place, among others.

Local MLA Prabin Hazarika, Biswath municipality's former chairman Dilip Kr Baruah, social workers Jiten Bhagawati, Tilak Sharma, Bijay Goswami, Deepak Kr Das, Pratap Saikia, Kamal Ch Bhuyan, Heramba Hazarika, Jagat Borah, Jogen Sharma, Hiren Borah, Prabin Bhuyan, Putul Sharma and others spoke on the issues and suggested steps in this respect.

Bidyut Sharma highlighted the activities carried out by the garik Santha towards solving these problems. He informed the meet that the NH-15 had been handed over to the tiol Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd by the Central Government and accordingly, the portion from Jamugurihat to Itagar will be made a four-lane road.

MLA Prabin Hazarika announced that an amount of Rs 167 cr had been earmarked for the development of the historic Biswathghat Road.

The speakers also criticized the higher authorities of State Bank of India for running the local branch in a congested building that has little space for parking of vehicles. The branch has around 35,000 account holders and has been making a steady profit.