Poor agriculturists demand demolition of illegally raised structure over Boali rivulet

Special Correspondent

Silchar: Illegally raised structure over Boali rivulet flowing down from Bhuvan Hills by unscrupulous elements has become the cause of sorrow for the inhabitants of Chengjur, Didarkhush, Binnakandi tea estate as well as the low lying areas around the hills.

According to Ramendra Kumar Das, Anupam Das, Nizam Uddin and others of the areas, the structure in question leads to flooding of the areas every year which inundates thousands of bighas of crop lands. As a consequence of which, the poor and helpless marginal agriculturists who are dependent entirely on their agriculture products are worst affected economically.

This problem has been in existence for the last 23 years. By raising the barrier over the rivulet, the miscreants obstruct the flow of water for fishing. The very purpose of building a sluice gate to regulate the waters of the flooded Boali rivulet is thus frustrated. The back flow of water results in flood like situation. Faced with unexpected and uncalled for problem, the residents have sought the intervention of the district administration of Cachar in this matter. A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Lakhipur unit, led by Abhijit Dhar which visited the affected areas and repeatedly tried to bring the matter to the attention of the district administration have failed to yield any positive result.

The police team did come to demolish the structure, but the moment it left, the miscreants again became active and raised the structure. Last Saturday, the Yuva Morcha team again went in for an on the spot study of the raised structure and sluice gate. Abhijit Dhar told the media-persons that for the last several years, a few miscreants by raising the structure over the rivulet for fishing have created a sort of havoc in the areas. He regretted due to the machination of a few miscreants, hundreds of families dependent on agriculture have to suffer. The MLA of the area Rajdeep Goala, according to the residents, seems to have turned a blind eye to the issue.

Even his late father Dinesh Prasad Goala, who was MLA and later a cabinet minister, the inhabitants said, did not take any positive steps to keep the miscreants away from creating any obstruction in the flow of the waters of rivulet Boali. Abhijit Dhar has demanded stringent action against the miscreants who have infiltrated from other areas, by arresting them. Even today, a team of Yuva Morcha members led by Abhijit Dhar submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar and demanded an on the spot study by any representative of his administration to assess the situation for initiating appropriate measures. The delegation included among others Apu Das, Kanu Das, Nanda Dey and Birendra Das. Abhijit Dhar said after submitting the memorandum, they would also meet Parimal Suklabaidya, minister of fisheries, forest and excise, and apprise him of the development. These poor people face another dilemma. When they take up the matter with Lakhipur police station, they are advised to go to Kachudaram police station and from there; they are directed to meet the officer-in-charge of Sonai police station. In fact, the jurisdiction of the areas in question falls under Lakhipur police station. The question is why this shifting of responsibility in a matter which involves law and order problem.