Proper communication link still eludes villagers in Kokrajhar

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, May 18:   At a time when roads, bridges and culverts in the BTC region are being converted to black top and RCC, villagers of some far-flung areas like Charaguri and its adjoining areas spend over an hour to reach a distance, which otherwise takes just 15 minutes, due to lack of bridge.

Charaguri is a remote village under Serfanguri Police station in Kokrajhar district. The village has roads leading to BTC head quarter town Kokrajhar but there is no bridge over the river Longa.  The villagers from both sides of the river have been facing the difficulties to cross over it due to lack of bridge.

Students of Aflagaon High School and UN Brahma Girls’ High School, Habrubari have to travel for extra one or more hours to reach the schools. Besides, the villagers face difficulties taking patients to hospitals.

Speaking to this correspondent, retired headmaster of Charaguri LP School Rupendra Mushahary said that the villagers on both sides of the river have been facing severe problems due to lack of bridge over the river. He said that the villagers have been demanding construction of a bridge but nothing has been happened so far. “We have placed our demand for construction of bridge over Hell River and protection of erosion repeatedly but the demand of the people has not been conceded,” he said adding that the public representatives always make promises which are never fulfilled.

Niron Boro of Charaguri said that they had approached the water resource department for construction of bridge and protection of village by erecting boulder pitching. He said that that the concerned MLA of 29 Kokrajhar west, Pradip Kumar Brahma and the then BTC EM of Water Resources, Mono Kumar Brahma had visited Charaguri village and assured for protection of the village from erosion and construction bridge but till today their promises have not been fulfilled.

Echoing the same rayan Ray, Dhajay Ray and Ranjit rzary of Charaguri West said that the people of the locality have been facing lot of problems due to lack of bridge. A student, Bejeng rzary and a villager, Parmeswar  Basumatary of East Tengaigaon said that the students and the villagers had to bear the brunt as the ordiry thatched bamboo bridge got swept away in every rainy season. They said that the local people had demanded the construction of bridge and the boulder pitching for protection of erosion in the village but nothing happened despite the promises of public representatives. They also said that every year the villagers had to shift in safer places due to massive erosion. A three wheeler vehicle with passengers fell into the river recently.