What were the issues at stake? Silchar, once a scenic town with planned growth and development with basic facilities, now is wrought in problems galore. It looks like a town in decay and degradation notwithstanding the fact that crores of rupees have been sanctioned by the Centre for the improvement of civic facilities. As a specific case in point, Rs.158 crore was allotted for storm drainage cum footpath around the town. National Building Construction Company (NBCC) which was entrusted with the job could hardly make any progress due mainly to its own fault. Its method of work raised many intriguing questions about transparency and accountability. Despite repeated demands of public forums and institution of engineers in particular to make known its detailed project report, NBCC never did so. Dinesh Prasad Goala, Minister of Urban Development, when asked about the drainage work simply said, “The state government was kept in the dark about induction of NBCC by the Centre.” The quality of work without any monitoring has been too low to be taken into any reckoning.

80% of roads of this town are in shambles and the length of dusty, potholed and cobbled pathways continue to mount. Utilisation of Rs.5 crore by NBCC and Alliance Project Implementations, the latter having been dropped, for the improvement of 3.5 km road from Holy Cross School point to Capital Travels point is also under a cloud of haphazard manner of construction.

To add to the ordeal of citizens, after dusk, lights along roads and streets work intermittently, plunging the town into darkness. The Board is yet to clear a huge bill of Rs.60 lakh to ASEB for energy consumption. Worst still, load shedding and power cuts for hours are a common feature. Encroachment by hawkers and vendors along roads, broken and caved - in footpaths, choked drains, traffic snarl, congested and narrow roads as well as piled up garbage plague civic life. Besides, acrisis of drinking water has been another bane of public life. The two existing water treatment plants maintained by PHE from which the Board supplies water can meet the demand of 2.74 lakh population only.

The Congress ruled Board was put in the dock on these burning issues which became the poll plank of the opposition. The leaders of BJP in their public and street corner lectures lambasted the ruling Congress on other counts as well. Significantly, Bithika Dev, MLA and wife of Santosh Mohan Dev, former Union Minister, was the chairperson of the previous Board. It was alleged that she allowed the demolition of the 126 year old heritage building of the municipality. Rs.7.75 crore sanctioned for the construction of the new building even after laying the foundation stone did not stir the Board to begin work. Dr. Rumi Nath, party MLA, had a jib and asked, “Where will the new chairman and commissioners sit?” Similarly the historic Reading and Dramatic Institute hall has been pulled down.

The BJP also brought into question the way yet another historic site of Gandhi Bag, witness to public meetings since the British era, has undergone beautification. Dr. Rumi Nath alleged there was no transparency on utilization of the huge fund of Rs.57.20 lakh collected from various sources. She further pointed out how 53 bighas of land at Meherpur are being encroached upon without any action by the Board.

The BJP has itself to blame for the poor showing despite heightened public grievances against the last Board. It is relevant to say that in 2003 BJP had 16 seats in its kitty. Several factors stood in the way. The most glaring ground was the charge that in spite of a comfortable majority in 2003, BJP which formed the Board failed to function and keep its flock together. Some of its commissioners helped Congress to reign in 2006 when Congress bagged 22 seats while BJP mustered 4 only. Congress star campaigner Santosh Mohan Dev hit the nail on the head when he repeated during public meets “How could the BJP be expected to run the Board?”

The debacle in civic elections held just 3 months later was attributed to internal sqabblings and dissensions, the sudden demise of seasoned and charismatic leader Bimolangshu Roy before the civic polls who was instrumental in ensuring the victory of Kabindra Purkayastha was deeply felt by the rank and file of the party. Most important, the absence of the Ajmal factor which caused polarisation of votes on communal lines in the Lok Sabha polls also contributed greatly towards BJP’s poor showing.

In order to take the wind out of the sails of the opposition, Congress brought out a manifesto with a five year action plan for the improvement of civic services. Leaders of the party are humbly admitting lapses during their last regime and promised to work for the welfare of citizens. Karnendu Bhattacharje, District Congress President said if elected to power, his party commissioners led by the chairman would strive hard to provide the best of services. 1,23,522 voters seemed to be convinced by this.

The defeat of Santosh Mohan Dev in the Lok Sabha polls and Bithika Dev opting out of the race to contest the civic elections, their daughter Sushmita Dev who won from ward 27 is being projected as the next Chairperson which looks more or less certain. Santosh Mohan Dev was the Chairman of the Board before he entered the electoral battle for MP in 1985. His father Satindra Mohan Dev also once held the coveted post. With such a vibrant family background and tradition, Sushmita is expected to play her role better. Citizens have now only to wait and see for better days ahead. Quite significantly, two other municipal boards of Karimganj and Hailakandi and three town committees of Lakhipur, Badarpur and Lala have also gone to the Congress.

 

Jyoti Lal Chowdhury