SILCHAR, June 6 � Disgusted with the dilapidated condition of NN Dutta Road, one of the prime roads in the busiest commercial area of the town, Joy Hind group, a local NGO has threatened to go for protest in the form of indefinite road blockade on June 9.
Kankan Sarkar, president of the NGO said that they wrote to the Chief Minister on May 20 with copies to the local MP and MLA drawing attention on the wretched condition of the road and demanded that the road stretch connecting Shillongpatty with Narsingtola should be repaired from the Chief Minister�s fund. Interestingly, Sarkar said �on the same day, the NGO members went to meet MP Susmita Dev but she did not allot time for them. Later, when they spoke to Dilip Paul, the local MLA he replied that he has no more fund to assist their cause but expressed his solidarity with their decision to stage protest.� Further, on June 5 ADC MK Das received the application for staging protest against public representatives for their silence in solving the issue. On June 6, the NGO members went to meet the Deputy Commissioner but were denied a meeting, Sarkar added.
When quizzed on the issue, Dilip Paul said he had assured the NGO that he has submitted a scheme and the PWD has prepared an estimate of Rs 19 lakh (approximate amount) from the funds of the State Government for 2015-16 Financial year meant for the development of roads in which NN Dutta Road is also included. �When they met me at the DC office today, I told the NGO members that the estimate has already been sent. The State Government is reeling under fund crunch which indicates that the release of the concerned amount might get delayed,� Dilip Paul was quoted as saying.
Sarkar said that they staged protest before Durga Puja in 2014 demanding repair of the road following which the PWD officials assured that work will be done after the puja but the assurance was not fulfilled.
