Baroigaon on Assam-Meghalaya border faces myriad problems

BAROIGAON (Assam-Meghalaya border), Dec 27 – Guwahati, the business hub of the entire north-eastern region is a modern city. But the fact is Guwahati is not reflective of the entire picture of the State. Strictly speaking, far-off rural areas reflect badly on the picture of our state. The case in point is Baroigaon, a village about 45 km south off Mirza. To take stock of the prevailing situation, Palasbari Press Club paid a day-long visit to the village which is affected by many problems. More than 2000 Garo people living in this area under Palasbari constituency are going through a bad patch since long. To put it bluntly this far-flung corner of Assam has remained too much of a backwater for the last 55 years since India got her independence. Cultivation is the sole means of their livelihood with seasonal Muga farming on the part of a few farmers and a few residents of the village also work outside. Among the plethora of problems this locality lacks pure drinking water. As a result, the water of the Candubura pahar-basted waterfalls is used for daily need. Here it is mentionworthy that a water reservoir at Baroigaon was set up on February 14, 1964. But the people’s hopes of getting pure water lay shattered as after lying the foundation stone, the authorities concerned did not carry on the construction work and repeated pleas of the suffering people fell on deaf ears. It may be pointed out the Rs 6,50,000 was reportedly sanctioned for the construction of water supply reservoir but it was left abandoned by the PH Engg Department. The people’s problems mounted as there is no medical facility till today. Speaking to the crew of the visiting scribes, the villagers said foundation stone of a hospital was laid in 1985 when AGP’s stormed into power. But precious little was allegedly done. Flaying Jatin Mali, the former Education Minister for his apathetic attitude towards their problems they said, “Mali got a sound drubbing in the last Assembly election as he was totally under the influence of middlemen. Mali visited this far-flung area nearly five times but did precious little, stated the villagers. Meanwhile their hope of improving their battered condition rose when the new MLA Pranab Kalita defeated Jatin Mali on the plank of changing the lot of the needy. But his lethargic attitude made the matters worse. In the meet held at Baroigaon public house, the villagers came down heavily over Pranab Kalita, Independent MLA Palasbari constituency. “After the last Assembly election, we met him in order to apprise him of the bettered condition”. Kalita who project himself as a friend of the poor was allegedly paid little heed to their demand. Strange though it may seem, the fact is the entire locality comprising three villages does not have a single high school. Here it may be pointed out that a high school – Baroigaon Janajatya High School was set up in 1991 but functioning of the school came to a grinding halt in 2001 following the alleged non-cooperation of the government. And consequently students have to go to Shillong and Tura for high school education and they cannot reportedly afford to send their students to the neighbouring State. The derelict condition of the Baroigaon LP School running with three teachers and 91 students wore the neglected look of the government. The school established in 1872 has only one black board and the number of desks and benches fall short of requirements. Moreover, water seeps through the tinned roof in the rainy season causing the abrupt closure of the school. This apart electrical facility is still a distant dream. Here it is mentionworthy that lamp, posts with electrical wire were put up in 1988 but the area was yet to be electrified. It may be mentioned that electrification reaches upto Bagan. And kerosen-lit village such as Rajapara, Sonapur, Ranikhamar Baroigaon were in the line for electrification. To the villagers, their demand for resumption of the pending works for electrification met sugar-coated assurance. Truly the run of misfortunes are apparently unending following the glaring injustice meted out to them on the part of the government. The unfortunate villagers have to go to Rajapara to get treated which takes a three-hour arduous walk and for daily shopping they have to go either to Ukiam, Muduki or Bagan. “Paddy cultivation is the all and end all of our existence as crops are doing well down our land” stated R Klin Sangma, Headman, Baroigaon village. Meanwhile, going by the ground realities, the backward area are starving for pressing attention of the government.