Civic body raises voice for better civic services in Silchar

Special Correspondent

Silchar: The hard paid tax payer citizens of this British era town have not been comfortable with the civic services provided by the municipal board. This unpleasant phenomenon has been prevalent for the last 3 decades despite change of the political colour and complexion of the board. Various factors have contributed to add to the sufferings of the tax payers. Ever since the British laid the foundation of this town in 1835 with a road map for its beautification and planning, it has been hailed as one of the most well planned and comfortable place to live in.

But, the ever burgeoning population has come to play havoc with its planning and living of better life. Meant for a population of not more than 1 lakh, the pressure of 5 lakh human numbers has upset all planning. Funds flow from Dispur, but there is no improvement on the ground. The citizens continue to rail and rage against the civic services and hammer the chairman for mitigating their problems.

In order to take their cudgel further, Nagarik Swartha Raksha Sangram Parishad (NSRSP) led by its president Haridas Dutta and backed by a sizeable number of members today staged protest demonstration before the office of the chairman Silchar municipal board, Niharendra Narayan Thakur with banners in their hands. The demands include cleaning of the drains and the drainage system before the onset of monsoon, collection of door to door garbage, removal and sweeping of the refuses and wastes piled along the lanes, by-lanes and roads, supply of safe and pure drinking water as well as laying of concrete and not blocks road.

Haridas Dutta said unless the workforce is mobilized by the municipal board to clean the drainage and the outlets before monsoon breaks out, the overflowing of dirty and filthy waters cannot but throw normal life in doldrums. This has been the scenario for a long time. Despite the thrust on ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, many areas of this town remain dotted with garbage and wastes, emanating abominable smell. Along with that, he said their demand is for roads under municipal board with bitumen and not CC blocks which make the passages uneven and bumpy, most inconvenient for the commuters.

The drinking water supplied by the municipality is dirty and polluted and not safe for health and hygiene. There are households which cannot install water purifiers and it is also not desirable. It is the responsibility of the municipal board to ensure supply of safe drinking water. He cautioned if no effective measures are taken, they might be forced to resort to other means of agitation and even think of paralyzing the administration of the board.

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