NAMRUP, July 11 - The long-standing demand of the people of the Naharkatia LAC to upgrade Naharkatia to the second subdivisional headquarters in Dibrugarh district gained momentum with the staging of a token strike by the Naharkatia AASU unit in association with its Namrup, Tingkhong, Sasoni, Duliajan and Joypur affiliates. A large number of local people also participated in the strike.
The main purpose of the demand for the Naharkatia subdivisional headquarters relates to the decentralisation of administrative functions. Though the demand has been raised on different platforms from time to time, it has remained on the back burner due to alleged executive apathy.
It may be mentioned here that most districts of upper Assam have poor urbanisation and almost all areas are rural except the district headquarters, which manages administration, trade and commerce. In Dibrugarh district too, all administrative units are located at the headquarters. People from far-off locations have to visit Dibrugarh even for minor affairs.
The original Dibrugarh district was trifurcated into three districts � Lakhimpur, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh. But Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts have already got three subdivisions each, whereas the original Dibrugarh district has only a single subdivision.
A source told this correspondent that the Naharkatia AASU unit would undertake a series of programmes like postering, wall writing and signature campaign in support of the demand.
