Silchar, Feb 19: Silchar District Congress Committee leaders, members and ward commissioners on Monday staged protest demonstration in front of the office of the chairman, Silchar Municipal Board (SMB), on the issue of the suicide committed by Ranjanpada Deb, an employee. There has been an outrage over his death on the alleged financial crunch faced by him due to nonpayment of salary for the last 7 months. Apportioning the blame on the Board, the protestors said for this tragic incident, it cannot absolve itself from moral responsibility.
Demand has been raised for payment of adequate financial assistance to the family in shock and pain and also job to a member of his family. The employees of Silchar Municipal Board have been on strike for the last few days over their legitimate demands including payment of pending salaries in particular. Without any exaggeration, Silchar has become a town of garbage, posing health hazards for the citizens as the piling up of wastes and refuses are the breeding ground of germs and also source of obnoxious smells. The civic life is virtually at a doldrum with drains almost choked up.
Raising slogans against the method of operation of the municipal board, the protestors have demanded measures to be taken up on emergency basis to remove the garbage which is lying scattered on the streets across the town. Winter is on way to return and it is time for rainy season. The spectre of water logging has begun to haunt the citizens. Some areas have become a well known and well identified spots for stagnant rain water which often assumes a menacing shape.
Congress has hit out at the municipal board for remaining indifferent to the basic civic issues, particularly the urgent steps to free the town from the clutches of stagnant rain water. It is expected that the Board will take the issue seriously and initiate early steps to make the town free from the impending water logging. Another issue which has also been plaguing the citizens of New Silchar area is the scarcity of safe drinking water. The problem will become acute in future unless the Board examines the matter critically and seriously to solve it without further delay.
The protest demonstration was led by Ajit Singh, former minister, Pradip Kumar Dey, president, Silchar District Congress Committee, Ranjit Roy, ward commissioner, and Simanta Bhattacharjee among others. A copy of the memorandum was also forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, S Lakshmanan, IAS, for his perusal and necessary action. Niharendra Narayan Thakur, chairman, Silchar Municipal Board, was not present in his office during the protest demonstration. So were all other ruling party vice-chairperson and ward commissioners. The memorandum was therefore handed over to the head clerk of the Board.