Protest against BDO’s refusal to me new panchayat as per people’s demand

From our Staff Correspondent

Dibrugarh, June 30: More than 300 inhabitants of Rohmoria Mouza in Dibrugarh district staged dhar  in protest against Block Development Officers’ refusal to me the proposed new panchayat as suggested in the public meeting held on June 19. Sources claimed that the department concerned had been initiating administrative process for formation of a new panchayat at Rohmoria Mouza under Lahowal LAC, besides the existing  Rohmoria Gaon Panchayat and Phukanor khat Gaon Panchayat.

The sources further claimed that the local inhabitants of Rohmoria Mouza, though welcomed the move of the government for formation of new panchayat  keeping the welfare of the people in mind, expressed their serious concern over ming of the panchayat and the process that would be  followed for its formation. In order to discuss the issue, a public meeting was organized of Chamoni Nutun Gaon relief camp with social activist and former school teacher of Rohmoria, Gha Barua in the chair. The meeting discussed the issue in threadbare and  unimously resolved that the proposed panchayat  should be med as Chamoni Maijan Gaon Panchayat  and prepared a draft of proposal mentioning the villages which were to be included in the proposed panchayat. The meeting further prepared a draft proposal for population structure of three panchayats by dividing  the total population residing in Phukankhat and Rohmoria Panchayat equally.  As per the draft, the population structure of Rohmoria and Phukan Khat Panchayat would  be 8,853 and 8,255 respectively  while the proposed new panchayat would have 7,466 people.

The resolutions, sources claimed, adopted at the public meeting, were submitted to the Lahowal Block Development Officer Prabin th  on June 19  and people urged him to honour the sentiments of the local populace.  But surprisingly, th  succumbed to the directives of one of the office bearers of the district BJP and initiated process to christen the proposed panchayat as Borahi  Da- Pathar Gaon Panchayat, ignoring the popular unimous demand of the local inhabitants of Rohmoria  area.

More than 300 people headed by president of Phukanor khat Gaon Panchayat, Paramanda Konowar and Tularam Das of Congress party, protested the Block Development Officer’s initiative to ignore resolutions adopted in the public meeting, staged dhar in front of the BDO Office. Agitated people later temporarily put their agitation under suspension following intervention of Lahowal MLA Ritupar Barua who through a telephonic conversation assured to honour and implement the decision taken in the public meeting.