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Longchiui - yet to see the light of development.

Longchiui, a village only 3 Km away from the Umrangso, the only industrial township of Dima Hasao is yet to see the light of development. The village was established by the affected people of Kopili Hydro Electric Project as their ancestral village Sikilangso was taken by the NEEPCO way back in 1976. They were of course compensated but with a meager amount and with some long promises of development and other facilities.


The village is having 38 houses (mostly pile house) and 200 plus population. The villagers solely dependent on jhum cultivation, which provide them rice for only two months in a year. Earlier, they were having vast areas of wetland but after the establishment of NEEPCO project all of their paddy fields were submerged. The village is having a LP school, no water supply, no proper medical services.


Sri Ra Teron, 75 years old Gaon Bura of the village Longchiui, who still goes to the Jhum talking to this correspondent said the plight of people of this village were never considered by the authorities concerned for the reasons best known to them. ‘The political leaders visit the village only before the election and make some promises of development but after the election they never visit the village. Thus our plights remain unaddressed’. ‘We are living like animals not as the human; we are not having job opportunities except daily wages’. Is there any one to think for us? He asked.


Sri Sarthe Teron, a villager said ‘though our village is nearest to the Umrangso township but there is no approach road to the village, and being nearest to cement factory, the people are suffering from some diseases due to cement dust’ ‘This year, we did not get sufficient paddy as the rats have destroyed our Jhum, we cannot think of our sufferings in the days to come since we have none to rescue us from the crisis’ Teron wipes out his tears.


Comments

Pallavi Barua's picture

The idea of 'development' taught us in school textbooks makes us associate the term with skyscappers, dams, flyovers, cities etc. This is shortsighted and hollow. A new concept of "Development" needs to come up, wherein, the improvement in the standard of life, happiness, contentment and lack of corruption finds due place. In the name of 'NATION' and 'NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT', its the business magnates, the politicians and giant media conglomerates which is making money in the idea called 'India'.
Indian's picture

The article is heratbreaking for the people like us. We need the development with the human face which duly adrresed the plight of local people.The NEEPCO must take appropriate steps to adress the people otherwise being wrong doing of section of bussiness houses,media & beauracrates defet the whole execise of Ethical business practice. I assured the author & Ms. barua inspite of wrong practice of some peole there is enough business houses still beleive in ethical business practice.So Please come with these type of story so that the entire industery introspect.I again appeal the NEEPCO & Ministery of Power authorites to address the probelm sensibly.
Patrick Sumer's picture

Its heart breaking to see those villagers still suffering amidst lots of promises from the Govt. side.. Its shameful for the Govt & the Council that in this computerised era those villagers are still dying for their living bread... For God's sake think of them and do something.. Don't sleep Govt..

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