GUWAHATI, March 26 - Nature never discriminated between rich and poor while distributing its bounty like air and water. However, when everything is commoditised in the present times, water is a rich man�s luxury in the Boragaon area of Guwahati city.
Candidates vying for votes of the population of this vast area under Guwahati West Legislative Assembly Constituency, cannot ignore this vital issue, which the people face day in and day out.
Touching the fringe areas like Garchuk and Tetelia, Pub Boragaon and Paschim Boragaon have seen much development in matters of growth of industries, factories, warehouses etc. However, infrastructure development remains a far cry.
As the vast area is inhabited by people belonging to different communities, preferences for candidates and issues vary from locality to locality. More than 35 thousand people will cast their votes in greater Boragaon area. Hence the area cannot be ignored by any political party.
�Water, however, is a common concern for every section of people, particularly the poor and also those from lower middleclass sections. A poor man pays by the nose for potable water in the area,� said Biren Huzuri, a local of the Boragaon area.
�Deep boring is the only available source of potable water in the area. A deep boring costs anything from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, which cannot be afforded by a daily wage earner or people doing petty jobs. Construction of multistorey buildings in the area has further aggravated the condition with depleting ground water in the area. The powerful suction by these big boring devices will soon leave the area dry. Government water supply scheme are still awaited,� he said.
The locals also described how buying water from private water suppliers for daily use is taking a toll on their budget.
The poor condition of the link road between Maligaon Goshala and Paschim Boragaon up to the national highway is another major issue in the area. The people have been fighting for long to improve the condition of this vital road. In Pub Boragaon area also many roads, including the one in front of St Francis DSS School are in a pitiable condition.
�After several representations to the Deputy Commissioner and other authorities concerned, construction work was taken up in the Boragaon-highway link road with an expected cost of Rs 1.5 crore. However, the work was stopped abruptly for reasons best known to the authorities,� said Bhaba Deka, a senior bank employee and a resident of the area.
Due to location of different industries, bottling plants etc., in the area, heavy vehicles ply on the roads, thus contributing immensely towards the rundown.
�The area looks like a rural locality rather than a part of the capital city, in the absence of adequate infrastructure. Narrow roads, absence of PHC or any government hospital in the vast locality, lack of streetlights and heavy pollution by the industrial units are only a few of the problems people are facing here,� he added.
Highlighting the plight of Boragaon will remain inconclusive without a mention of the municipal solid waste (MSW) dumping site, which is bothering the common people as well as damaging the ecology in the area. While the Deepor Beel bears the brunt of mismanagement of the MSW, the people await some positive action from the authorities concerned.
