Assam: Scrap Worker’s Death in Digboi Highlights Drainage Failure

Digboi: A tragic incident in Digboi’s Borbil area has triggered public anger over years of official apathy, poor drainage management, and the unchecked illegal liquor trade.

On Tuesday morning, locals discovered the body of Shayam Sundar Singh, son of the late Bhargav Singh, beneath a heap of garbage in the AOD Tel Nallah. Singh, who worked informally as a scrap collector in Borbil No. 1, reportedly entered the clogged drain during continuous rainfall and became trapped in the sludge-filled channel, leading to his death by suffocation.

Residents directly linked the fatality to negligence in infrastructure work. They alleged that a road construction project under the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has obstructed the natural sewage flow, turning the drain into a “deathtrap.”

“The drain turned deadly due to garbage buildup and poor planning. We warned the contractor several times, but they ignored us,” said village headman Krishna Mahato.

Local resentment has also turned toward the AOD Digboi Refinery. The decades-old Tel Nallah, designed to carry refinery waste and sewage, has long overflowed during monsoon, contaminating farmland and destroying crops. Villagers allege that despite repeated complaints, neither the refinery nor municipal authorities have acted.

Adding to the crisis, residents highlighted the rampant sale of illegal liquor in Borbil. They said unlicensed vendors openly sell homemade liquor and cheap spirits, often targeting daily wage earners and scrap collectors. Mahato admitted Singh might have consumed alcohol before entering the drain.

“This liquor menace is destroying our most vulnerable,” he said.

Social activists said the situation has reached a tipping point. “Year after year, floods and pollution hit us, but authorities still remain silent,” said Purna Borah, a Digboi-based social worker.

Police confirmed Singh’s death but refused to comment on the broader allegations. Meanwhile, residents are demanding immediate drain clearance, accountability from NHIDCL and AOD officials, and a crackdown on the liquor network.

They warned that unless urgent action is taken, more lives may be lost and Digboi’s chronic problems will only deepen.

Also Read: https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/assam-news/tinsukia-deputy-commissioner-swapneel-paul-orders-probe-into-digbois-unauthorized-road

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