A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The larger Lohit-Khabolu area under Telahi Development Block in Lakhimpur district has been eluded from developmental activities since the year the nation achieved Independence from foreign rule. During the long 72 years of the post-Independence period, the area located in the valley of the Subansiri River is lagging far behind in road connectivity, medical services, education and mitigation of flood and erosion problems caused by Subansiri, and many other allied humanity sectors.
Under such circumstances, alleging the betrayal and dereliction on the part of the successive governments and the district administration with regards to propelling the motion of development in the area, thousands of people staged massive protests on Saturday on the bank of the Subansiri in support of their various demands.
During the demonstration, the protesters from 40 villages, led by the local bodies of Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) and Takam Mising Mime Kebang (TMMK), demanded the State Government and the district administration to construct bridge over Khabolu River, to implement scientific and long-lasting measures to mitigate the flood and erosion caused by Subansiri and other tributaries affecting the area, to establish hospitals and to declare special package to upgrade the road communication within Lohit Khabolu.
Regarding the issues, a protest meeting was also organized on the bank of the Subansiri River. The meeting unanimously opined that no successive government, public representative and political leader had taken any kind of effective steps to resolve the long-pending problems of the area.
In this regard, the speakers of the meeting condemned the attitude of Lakhimpur MLA Utpal Dutta for not initiating any steps for the betterment of the area and the welfare of the people living there. The public protest meeting submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal regarding the demands. TMPK central committee adviser Indra Kumar Chungkrang, president Rajkumar Doley and other leaders of the organizations took part in the agitation programme.