Civic disappointment

Silchar town is typically unplanned and public annoyance crosses limits when rain water spill out of gutters and engulf habitable areas.

Bishway Chamak Goswami

ON the vegetative planes of river Barak and in an orderly natural worth stands out  Silchar, the populous pretty town of South Assam in Cachar district, surviving the umpteen corruption and. There are scores of issues waiting attention and the current concern reels around dilapidated roads, garbage and prolix traffic jams in Silchar.

Prime thoroughfares including the connecting routes have long been in a dilapidated condition, creating major inconvenience for the commuters in Silchar. The roads are rugged with uneven patches and potholes. Constrictions occur at several points due to piling of solid wastes along the road sides. Parking lots closer to pavements aggravate difficulties. The town is typically unplanned and public annoyance crosses limits during monsoon when rain water spill out of gutters and engulf habitable areas. National Highways 53 and 54 via Silchar are the principal routes to Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. The deteriorated condition of NH-53 and NH-54 is a serious concern for the safe and speedy transportation of goods; adding rows to the multiplicity of problems already existing in the region.

Construction works began this year before the onset of monsoon, after the government sanction of funds for the project. According to the official sources, total amount sanctioned is about eight crore. Out of which North Eastern Council contributed five crore and three crore came from the Central Reserve Fund. The works have been allotted to Silchar Rural Road Division; P.W.D and Silchar National Highway Division (N.H.Division). The N.H.Division is entrusted with urban links 53 and 54 , while Rural Road Division does the rest.

But today the tangle is with money. Because the contractors who had earlier ventured when the project was announced are now demurrant under the present circumstances and have abandoned in the middle , for the fulfillment of their legitimate demand for unpaid balances from the State Government. Even there are apprehensions if the allotments are diverted elsewhere in Assam. Secondly, the official complicacies and reluctance casting influence on the quality and quantity of work done and in progress. There is a marked lack of co-ordination  between the P.W.D and P.H.E in Cachar district. Thirdly, people are peace-loving , casual and lacking in unity. They seldom raise their voice.

A peep into the “system” reflects the maladroitness and scans the loopholes.

1)    The installation of any underground water pipe has a prescribed distance from the ground-level , which is two- and-half feet ; to avoid collision with the hard crust. The fact is often overlooked.

2)    Often clamps are not proper on the broken parts of underground water pipes. Eventually water leaks eroding the casting material.

3)    The durable height for premix carpeting (black toping ) is two centimeters and above. But here unsympathetically lower levels are run. As a result , irregularities are noticed in a short time.

4)    More often also , boulders or bricks lacking in crushing strength and capable of retaining water in intermediary spaces are employed in the sub-base level which is detrimental to good lasting conditions.

Besides,  Silchar has no permanent  dustbin. Abominable concourse of degradable wastes in certain areas is creating environmental hazards in the town. The detestable sight and stinking smell have been posing problems to many. Even chances of an out break of severe epidemic cannot be rejected. The town market Fatakbazar is an area worst affected currently. More so, in rainy days condition turns ghastly. The town also lacks in an efficient drainage system, where the spoils of flood are vividly recurrent every year spiting enormous sufferings. Drains     cannot check flood, but as every little bit helps.

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