Should students hit the streets for road?
SILCHAR, September 4: Students from the school to college and university level hitting the streets, leaving aside their classroom studies, for repair and improvement of roads in their areas have become a common feature across Barak Valley. It therefore brings to the fore the relevant question where have all the good roads as claimed by Dispur gone? A few days back, Siddique Ahmed, Minister of Border Area Development, along with his party workers and supporters sat on protest demonstration at Nilambazar, demanding improvement of stretches of NH 6 in the district of Karimganj which has virtually turned into potholes. Apart from the opposition and other organizations, students taking to the streets to block vehicular traffic on the issue of improvement of NHs and roads is really a matter of deep concern.
As reported earlier, students of Assam University have been on frequent agitation for the last three years in order to reach their voice to the district administration and the PWD (R) for the improvement of Silchar–Dwarband–Hailakandi road. The road in question is a vital connectivity with the University for the students not only of Cachar but also of Hailakandi. Quite shameful, dignitaries, both academic and administrative, from outside the valley are simply amazed to travel through this uneven and bumpy road and wonder if there is no agency or department to take care of it. A top University official said in anguish that when he took up the matter with the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, he simply expressed his inability. The agitating students were told by him when the funds would be available, the road would be improved.
In the latest instance of students, boys and girls taking to the street, were from the schools and colleges of Katigorah–Kalain areas. Having lost their patience, students in large number blocked NH 6 in the area that brought to grinding halt hundreds of vehicles, big and small, passenger and goods, for hours together. They raised slogans against the PWD Minister, Ajanta Neog, and her department. They wanted immediate repair of the NH as they have to suffer most while travelling from their home places to the institutions and then back due to worst shape of the highway. They however lifted the blockade after intervention of the PWD SDO Ajmal Hussain Mazumdar and circle officer Khaleda Sultana Ahmed.
While the Circle Officer assured the students that the department concerned would take steps for improvement, the SDO went a step ahead and said that every effort would be made to ensure that the work started immediately and the quality would be strictly maintained and monitored. Some of the students wanted concrete assurance and not vague statements just for their consumption. According to information, though Rs 20 lakh was sanctioned for the improvement of the stretch of NH, there was lot of dilly–dally in starting it. Quite naturally, it raised intriguing questions in the minds of public and students. The amount of Rs 20 lakh was earmarked from BADP (Backward Area Development Project) during 2011–12. After initiating repair and improvement, the contractors, for reasons best known to them, left the work midway.
The student leaders were in contact with the officials of PWD regarding the utilization of funds and expressed their concern at the half–hearted approach in carrying out the work. The general impression in Barak Valley is that any improvement work gets blocked or locked in the bureaucrat–contractor nexus. Student leaders too felt it might be the same design here. However, the SDO Ajmal Hussain Mazumdar asserted nothing would stand in the way now. In the meantime, the way earth–filling sand gravelling on 200 metres and retention was on 60 metres have been done till now have again raised the question if the improvement would really take place.
Source: The Sentinel 05.09.2013
