GUWAHATI, Oct 29 � Though four years have passed since the day Assam faced its worst ever militant attacks as more than 90 persons were killed in serial blasts within a span of half an hour, but the State Government has not learnt its lessons from the incidents and the major decisions taken immediately after the incident are yet to be implemented.
October 30, 2008 remains a black day for the state but the actions of the State Government have been restricted mostly to remembering the victims on the day, while, serious efforts have not been taken to deal with any such eventuality in future.
A day after the serial blasts, the Government took a Cabinet decision to appoint a police commissioner for Guwahati city and the State Home Department had prepared a detailed proposal for it by studying the system introduced in other major cities of the country. But the decision is yet to be implemented for the reasons best known to the people at the helm of affairs.
The Government also decided to install CCTV cameras in all the vulnerable areas of the city but the process is yet to be completed even after four years of the incident. Police sources said that as many as 91 locations were identified for installation of CCTV cameras. However, so far power connections have been given only on 14 locations and it is still not known as to when the process of installation of CCTV cameras in all the places identified as vulnerable by the police will be complete.
The lack of preparedness of the police and administration to deal with any such eventuality came to the fore as there was total lawlessness in the affected areas, particularly in the Ganeshguri area of the city and an angry mob burnt down fire tenders and even ambulances. The Government formed a committee headed by former Director General of Police DN Dutt to examine the circumstances leading to the lawlessness and to recommend measures to deal with any such eventuality.
The Committee pointed out the loopholes in the system and pointed out that there was total lack of coordination between different departments of the Government. The committee suggested carrying out of mock drills from time to time so that the Government agencies including the police are ready to face any such eventuality. But such drills are not being carried out regularly, while, most of the other recommendations of the committee have also not been implemented.
Though security of the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate. Kamrup, was augmented after the blast in front of the court on October 30, 2008, the security of the other courts has not been augmented.
Senior advocate Nekibur Zaman, who was present in the CJM court at the time of the blast, said that though the Court is right in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, officials of the district administration took long time to arrive at the spot and even the fire tenders arrived late. Recalling the incident, he said that a number of vehicles were burnt down following the blast and black smoke covered the entire area. Two advocates and two other employees of the court were killed on the spot.
Zaman said that though the boundary wall of the Court was constructed following demand of the advocates and security personnel have been deployed in the front gate, the gates in the back side of the court are not guarded. He said that CCTV cameras have not been installed in the Court premises.
Zaman further said that the other courts located in the city including the Court of the District and Sessions Judge, Special CBI court, NIA court etc are also trying sensitive cases but the security of those courts are yet to be augmented.
