NALBARI, Feb 23 � Nalbari, a small town once considered dirty and undiscipline, now wears a new look thanks to the initiative of Deputy Commissioner Dr Om Prakash to paint the town with the ivory cream colour supplemented with a cleanliness drive. Dr Om Prakash, who joined the district as the deputy commissioner two year back, requested all the citizens and owners of business establishments as well as the government and private offices of the town to paint their buildings and premises with a single colour giving the town a distinct identity.
The deputy commissioner also took the initiative to tackle the recurring artificial floods at the district headquarters town with some positive measures. When he took charge as the district head, even his office bore the brunt of artificial floods remaining in knee-deep waters during the rainy seasons. Dr Om Prakash initiated a study on the drains of the town for free flow of stormwater.
It was found that polythene bags and other garbage clogged most of the drains hampering the normal flow of rainwater. This led the deputy commissioner to strictly enforce a ban on the use of polythene bags and other such materials in the district. The Nalbari citizens, too, cooperated in this initiative that encouraged Dr Om Prakash to hold a series of awareness meetings regarding cleaning the town.
It was the turning point for the Nalbari deputy commissioner as he took measures to clean all the drains of the town. Alongside, he also ensured that encroachments in the town were cleared. Dr Om Prakash himself conducted a number of cleanliness drives in the town with the help of government officials, NGO workers and leading citizens.
As part of the innovative cleanliness drive, the deputy commissioner requested the business establishments to keep two green coloured dustbins and two flower tubs in front of their shops. The deputy commissioner also took measures to place around 100 green dustbins at different places of the town on his part, besides regularly monitoring the cleanliness drive in the town.
When the deputy commissioner gave the call for a common colour for the town, the people responded positively and chose the colour ivory cream. The result is there for all to see: a fresh coat of ivory cream over the business establishments, offices as also the individual houses across the town, giving it a new look.
Meanwhile, the initiatives taken by the deputy commissioner were highly appreciated by the cross section of people in the district. Nalbari AASU chief Himan Barman said the Deputy Commissioner�s initiatives have given a new look to the town. He also urged the citizens of Nalbari to extend their cooperation to the deputy commissioner in such welfare measures. AJYCP district president Brajen Chaudhury said Dr Om Prakash had succeeded in doing what his predecessors could not do in last 30 years.
