An open letter to our Chief Minister

Photo Courtesy: www.tntmagazine.in

Dear Mr. Chief Minister,

                Your recent contention that Barak Valley does not require a super specialty hospital has come as a huge shock to the people of the valley.  It is indeed baffling that you did not find any merit in constructing a specialized health facility for a vast region which spans across three districts and has a population of over 40 lakhs. Moreover, the entire area is being served currently by only one medical college, which also has its own share of infrastructure and maintenance related problems.

                We welcome the fact that you have requested the Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for two super specialty hospitals in Guwahati and Dibrugarh. We are sure that both these hospitals, when completed will benefit the people of the entire north eastern region. However, we are curious to know how, Dibrugarh manages to pocket all the high profile projects ahead of Silchar despite being smaller than Silchar both in terms of population and area.

                Prima facie, it seems that Dispur doesn’t have too much of a liking for the people of Barak Valley and you shouldn’t be singularly blamed for this mindset. The chief ministers before you have also carried the same attitude toward this region. However, we would be happy if you can refute this rather serious allegation and convince us about the same.

                This is your third term as the chief minister of the state. In the last 13 years of your continuous rule, you have done little for the valley apart from dangling the 1000 crore carrot in front of us. Recently we have read about the disbursal of the first lot of this amount for various projects. But given the atrocious project implementation track record of your government, we would not be convinced till we see results on the ground.  

                Before the last assembly elections in 2010, you came and launched a series of projects such as the Silchar bypass and the engineering college in Karimganj. Three years down the line, both these projects have not yet been completed. Apart from these and an already dilapidated yet underutilized inter-state bus terminus at Silchar, your government has done nothing significant for the people of Barak Valley. However the list of things that you have not done is pretty long. We are just listing a few of them here:

Your government has ruined the valley’s national highways ever since taking over them from the Border Roads authorities. Hundreds of crores have been sanctioned for their upkeep by the centre but nothing has improved on the ground.

Just after the official declaration of the construction of the Silchar – Saurashtra Mahasadak project, you declared a part of the Barail ranges as wildlife sanctuary. A decade down the line, construction work on this particular stretch hasn’t yet begun due to the lack of requisite clearances. The broad gauge conversion project is also struggling because of the same issue. Despite repeated assurances nothing has materialized so far and nobody seems to know the exact status of the clearance related files.

                Thanks to the partisan politics played by the respective state governments at Dispur, today Assam is burning. One community after another is asserting its identity and demanding separation from the state. Therefore, please read the writing on the wall and refrain from playing regional politics which accords higher priority to one part of the state and neglects another.  

                Barak Valley has not yet whole heartedly joined the chorus for separation. But the murmurs have already begun. Therefore, avoid creating such unnecessary controversies and give to the people what they rightfully deserve as your voters and tax payers to your government.

Regards,
Team Concern For Silchar