When civic body continues oppression
Malpractices and corruption have invaded the public departments to a large extent. However, the people in general and tax payers in particular, try to cooperate with the authorities in the urban areas with a hope that their conditions would be considered in a positive way with respect, which they deserve. But this is not found in the treatment of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), which has the responsibility of improving the conditions of the city and its citizens.It is the plight of a municipal market namely, Ulubari Bazar, in a central place of Guwahati city, the capital of Assam. This market is exploited by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), since its establishment about forty years back, without providing basic amenities to the customers and traders of the market. The GMC’s main ‘objective’ is to collect money from the market by hook or by crook.Ignoring the appeals of the Ulubari Bazar Committee (UBC), representing the traders of the market since the year 1971, to provide basic amenities, like boundary walls, electricity, water, toilet, sweeper and garbage bins, construction of market lanes and shops and stalls etc, the civic body is bent upon to ‘suck even the last drop of blood’ from the body of the poor traders. Failing to get any assistance from the GMC, the UBC had to manage the electricity for the market and constructed the boundary walls and market lanes by collecting funds from the traders and the general public. The traders constructed their own shops and stalls. The UBC had to engage sweepers and night watchmen for cleaning and safety of belongings of the traders. Although the GMC continued collecting revenue on the wetland in occupation of the traders, it did not feel it necessary to realize its own responsibility to develop the market. Besides, it continued hiking the revenue on the land and trade license fees, arbitrarily from time to time.All of a sudden the GMC, arbitrarily and illegally increased the revenue by fifty percent on the existing rate of revenue, that too with retrospective effect from January 2003, through a notification on November 4, 2003. It is important to mention here that the traders had agreed to pay the revenue on the land to GMC, on the condition that the civic body would develop the market with the funds so collected.It may be mentioned further that the GMC gave a’ false publicity’ about constructing a super market during the year 1980 and collected huge amount as security deposit for allotment of shops and stalls in the market. On the same plea, it increased the revenue of the land also. But the market did not come up.Again in the year 2007, it was learnt ‘though unofficially’ that a market with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB), would be constructed at the market site. The ADB representatives visited, surveyed, arranged a workshop with the traders and prepared the drawings and project report during the year 2007. But the GMC did not inform the traders about the scheme. Instead it continued to issue notices to pay the money only. Further, the GMC increased the revenue to five times with effect from August 2008, just to show the increasing amount ‘on the papers’.Now, it has come to the notice of the UBC that the GMC is not interested to get the market constructed through the ADB, and it is in search of private partners to construct the market under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme. This creates doubt in the minds of the poor traders that they would lose their claim of getting a place in the market, for which they have toiled throughout their life. It may go in the hands of the influential people, who would serve the interest of the ‘vested interests’ in the GMC. The Guwahati Municipal Corporation has earned very bad name from the tax payers as regards its arbitrary functioning and rampant corruption. The state government is also not keen to take any action against this mismanaged civic body.
Random Stories
21 Jun 2017 - 2:58pm |
AT News
Single bench of the Assam Human Rights Commission, comprising of Shri Naba Kamal Bora, took suo moto cognizance of a news item published in the vernacular daily, “Amar Asom” and English daily, “The...
10 Oct 2015 - 7:20am |
AT News
Civil society organizations both from Assam and Nagaland at a conclave in Guwahati on Friday have agreed to help the two north eastern states restore age old trust and bonhomie. Amid trouble and...
4 Sep 2017 - 11:34pm |
AT Kokrajhar Bureau
A community child protection institute was inaugurated on Monday at Baganpara Kachugaon to ensure welfare of the rescued children in Kokrajhar and its adjoining areas. Digambar...
29 Sep 2010 - 1:59pm |
phangcho
Come foggy, windy and a moonless dark night during the months of August, September, October and November – Thousands of birds, both migratory and local types – like King-Fisher, Tiger...
Other Contents by Author
Despite many differences with the sayings and doings of the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, I share at least one of his views on an occasion that the people of Assam are ‘emotional’. He is right, I agree since watching the various affairs through which the state has passed and the CM has succeeded in having the reign of state administration successfully for about one and a half decades. Since the beginning of last phase of 20th century, I recall the memories of Assam agitation against the foreigners issue in the state right from the year 1979. The students and the general public under the banner of All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Gana Sangram Samiti (AGSS) brought the entire...
More than two hundred villagers and beneficiaries of Indira Awaas Yojana ( IAY ) scheme , under Raha revenue circle ,today staged a demonstration in front of the Block Development Office ,Raha.The demonstrators shouting slogans against Ataphoor Rahaman, BDO , Raha block alleged that their funds meant for the construction of their IAY house were not released for several months by the BDO due to the fishy deal between the BDO and Raha MLA Piyush Hazarika. Later , talking to the media the BDO also confessed the allegations leveled against him by the demonstrators and agreed to release the funds.
It’s rightly said, ‘where there is a will there is a way’. It has come true in the life of a school teacher from the remote northeastern state of Tripura, which lags behind the facilities in the field of development in many respect. Sujit Bhowmik, a retired science teacher from Government school, Agartala has earned a number of achievements to his credit during his tenure in service and has continued his efforts even after his retirement. He contributed a number of articles related to health, environment and wildlife etc; in English and Bengali language newspapers and periodicals. Several books he has got published so far with him minimum source of income.Now, he has come out with a single...
Recent controversy between Assam Governor, Padmanabha Balkrishna Acharya and Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi over the issue of rhinos killings in state has brought a number of questions in the mind of the people regarding danger to the life of world famous one-horn rhinos. A large number people have started thinking whether the elimination of the state symbol is ‘state sponsored’ one?. Large number of brutal killings of famous rhinos in the state have come into light through media continuously for a long time, but the state administration seems to be uncared and unmoved on this serious subject. The head of the state as a citizen of India has every right to express his views and anguish on...
For film enthusiasts of Assam and the Northeast region of the country, an intensive workshop has been designed and developed by the Institute of Moving Images, a well known film school from Mumbai, which will be conducting a workshop at the State Art Gallery from March 15. The classes will be held for two months on every Saturday and Sunday from 2 PM to 7 PM.Pankaj Roy, the director of the IMI, a seasoned film and TV programme producer and director, addressing the media persons at Guwahati on March 2, last informed that during the two months weekend workshop the members would write, shoot and edit four short films of their own and assist others in 20 student film...
In a significant development in which India failed to take-up issues with the Chinese government, Bangladesh has dared to push the issue relating to both the neighboring countries. According to a media report Chinese government planned to construct several mega dams and hydro projects in Brahmaputra (Lohit) basin in Tibet’s Jangmu and Great Bend region. Bangladesh opposed the Chinese plan through a strong letter from Dacca to Beijing. A copy of the letter from Bangladesh’s foreign office was also sent to Bangladesh high commissioner’s office at New Delhi and Chinese embassy in Dacca. Bangladesh through this letter suggested to hold a three-party meeting among China, Bangladesh and...
Durniti Birodhi Manab Adhikar Suraksha Mancha (DBMASM), an NGO has challenged Assam forest minister, Rockybul Hussain, for his misleading and indecent behavior against Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader, Akhil Gogoi as shown on a local leading TV channel recently. The Manch president, Pradip Baruah, has alleged in an open letter addressed to the forest minister on his claim as ‘absurd’ that he has proved hundred percent successful forest minister. Baruah has ridiculed the minister’s claim and asked him to prove his success in saving the rhinos or in getting them killed? He has drawn his attention on the regular media reports of killing rhinos in the state.The Manch president...
Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, is perhaps the supreme stalwart in the country, who dared to under-estimate the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s dynamism, capability and strength. On most of the occasions, he seems to have challenged PM, Modi in order to prove ‘himself ‘ as better being’ proud’ of ruling the state of Assam for last fourteen years. He claims himself better administrator, because he has gained mastery in dividing the people on different issues, which he has hired from the past British rulers of the country. The simple and humble people of Assam fall prey of the false stories of development without moving out to find the truth about such developments. Those who oppose and...
India accounts for nearly 69 million people living with diabetes according to a report published by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). According to latest IDF estimate the worldwide 382 million people are living with diabetes. India is known as the Diabetes capital of the world. November 14 is observed as the World Diabetes Day. The North Eastern Diabetes Society (NEDS), a non-profit organization of prominent diabetologist and endocrinologist of the North-east is celebrating this day in Guwahati in a grand way. This day was chosen as the birthday of Fedrick Banting, a medical scientist who co-discovered Insulin and was the first person to use it on humans.Diabetes in Indians is...
It is more than six months, when Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) decided to construct four city markets buildings at a time and in a hasty action a ‘mockery of foundation stone’ laying ceremony of four markets were done by nobody else than the Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi himself at a single place located in densely populated area of Ulubari. The existing Ulubari GMC market had to bear the brunt of damages of the stalls created by the poor traders of the market for the function. GMC Commissioner and Mayor along with some other GMC officials approached the office bearers of the Ulubari Bazar Committee on March 4,2014, with the information that the foundation stone laying ceremony...
Add new comment