MLA Ashwani Roy Sarkar supplies drinking water to truckers on NH-31 during lockdown

A CORRESPONDENT

DHUBRI: Chairman of Assam State OBC Board and Golokganj BJP legislator Ashwani Roy Sarkar, besides distributing food materials to the villagers of his constituency, has also been supplying drinking water to truckers from his own tankers on NH-31 near Sagolia in Dhubri district since the total lockdown was clamped on March 24.

Truckers carrying essential food materials to the north-eastern region either enter through the Sagolia or Srirampur inter-State check gates of Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts respectively and in view of the lockdown, most of the eateries and dhabas are still closed. This has led to a great deal of inconvenience for the truck drivers who drive non-stop for hours together.

A driver from Kanpur, Ramswarup Choudhury, who stopped his truck to collect drinking water at the drinking water supplying point run by Ashwani Roy Sarkar near Sagolia, said that they used to collect drinking water from the petrol pumps but due to the lockdown, most of the pumps remained close at night.

"But since we are carrying essential food items, they need to be delivered on time. Even if we don't find food to eat, we require sufficient water to drink," said Dilwar Hussain, another trucker from Patna.

When asked about his initiative to supply drinking water to truckers, Ashwani Roy Sarkar said that he had been supplying filtered drinking water for years to villagers during their social and religious functions. "So when I was informed that truckers were facing drinking water problem, immediately I decided to supply them water. I have two water tankers with pumps and filter facilities. I considered this service very pious and it gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction," Sarkar said.

Last month, Sarkar and his party workers fed the common langurs of Mahamaya Dham and Mahamaya Snan Ghat temples at Bogribari under Kokrajhar district and handed over food items and fruits to the management committees of the two temples for 10 days.  

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