The recent unfortunate catastrophe that obliterated people’s lives, which are left to feral, adding to extreme poverty and the apathetic attitude response from the authority is appalling and outraging. These flood affected areas under Bokajan subdivision of Karbi Anglong, especially the Rengma Naga inhabited areas and its surrounding villages have been reeling under extreme poverty sans basic amenities where people die needlessly and yet this lackluster attitude response in times of catastrophic from authority is inhuman.
Where is disaster preparedness and crisis response? Why repeatedly demand for relief needs to be placed to the authority for such unfortunate havoc that haunted people and destroyed everything? This sort of cruelty is the productive source of pauperism and a hinder to progress. Sitting at comfy desk with folded arms, waiting people come crying begging to offices, as if it’s none of the business! Or is it because you are not responsible for the flood, hence, hands off? Is it for the reason that, it is interior rural areas and is sans any network connectivity, where average creatures and Medias are impassable, your reason and excuse to pretend not known?
People have lost homes, farms, agriculture produce, personal valuables and livestock, all of which they depend on for livelihood. Rivers are contaminated with debris which is the main drinking water source. The whole area poses risk with numerable water borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, diarrhea etc. Despite of begging to the authority, only lackluster response shown, and this speaks volume and is clear that no interest to protect the most vital asset, its people.
Since Indian Independence, followed by the inception of KAAC, literally zero development took place in the region.
If it was the authoritative and indifferent attitude of the British towards the Indian, the spirit of nationalism gained ground which led to the national movement and if the primary cause of the Indian movement was to sought and creates an Indian state that was free of Tyrant British rule and to conduce tranquility among all citizens irrespective. If so, what pragmatic changed does this anyway facilitated us? To this day, we are still struggling, fighting for the basic amenities such as Roads, Electricity, and Water; forget about hospitals, fighting to avail dispensary for the last 70 years! I kindly ask the Assam government and the KAAC to name one dispensary in the Rengma inhabited areas. With what immunity do we survive naturally in these undetectable fatal uncountable diseases spreading around us and the natural disasters adding to the misery? How do we progress without basic key amenities? Due to this, neglected to the feral, people die needlessly. If this is the attitude and intention of the government, leave our land and the responsibilities to our shoulders to decide.
Once again, pleading the authority to humanitarianly implement its errands immediately with proper assessment, the scale of destructions, and provide all necessary relief and rehabilitation to the unfortunate victims of the disaster and help restore back to normal life.
John Rengma Karbi Anglong, Assam.
