Benjamin Maikho
I had been to Senapati Dist HQ recently after a gap of 2 years. A few things distinctively strike me: one, the rapid expansion of population due to migration from villages. Two, the haphazard construction of houses expanding to the virgin lands on the mountains. As I keenly observe the town for 4 days things became clearer. It seems everyone wants to come to Senapati with a dream. I wonder whether Senapati can contain the dreams. That reminds me of my study tour on causes of rural population migration to Mumbai in Devrukh Block, Ratnagiri District, Maharastra in 1993. But the town is struggling cope up the pressure. The infrastructure is in a dismal state. The buzzing town looks sleepy and limbs into darkness with frequent load shedding. On analyzing the activities the economics intelligence in me says there is actually no productivity and wealth creation. The DC office is crowded with rural elites looking for “Schemes”. And lot of money supply seems to be there but ill distributed. The old village folks whom I know years have not feared better than before.
My observations throw up the following: first the good side; a lot of buildings are mushrooming spreading to the mountains and even on agricultural lands (paddy fields). Amenities like petrol pumps, provision stores, hardware constructions materials, eateries & medical shops have sprung up. A few show rooms of electronic goods too could be seen. Mobile phones buzzing. Even patients come to Senapati District hospital for emergency purpose. Vendors of various kinds spread across on pavements. To beat the chill seconds clothes from Europe within budgets are abundant. Auto rickshaws, utilities vehicles like Tata Sumo are available during day but exorbitant. Life styles seem changing so far so good.
On the flip side:
Being a tribal area the lands are not under the purview of land revenue and hence no Govt restrictions like NOC or any kind exist like. As a consequence no commercial use of land. There is absolutely no town planning like building guidelines on safety & minimum open space, no drainage, no sewage & public toilets, green area, public parks, entertainments etc are not at all visible. No fire tender is seen. Remember the area comes under active earthquake zone. IVRs are just cut haphazardly here and there without any alignment & planning looks to be attempting to connect the housing colonies. They are not black topped and not accessible to vehicles even during dry seasons forget about rainy seasons but can be tracked on foot.
The price of land has sky rocketed, about 60 to 100 % in some pockets since 2001.Worse no water supply systems has yet to come in place. Fortunately the town in situated below the mountains due to which wells can be dug easily. The NH 39 stretch passes through the middle of the town and there is no drainage on the road sides. The road is built of mud and sand without concrete & bitumen. Not a single patch of black topping could be seen within the town limit, so no more potholes too. The dust descends on passers by when the vehicle passes through. The bus waiting sheds are shady & built on few pieces of woods and poorly plastered. The public toilets stinking without water. Any public buildings looks dilapidated and tend to be like this the more one explore.
As the sun set darkness envelope the town with frequent power cuts .It looks like hamlets in country side with candles and lanterns burning very dimly and so sleepy. In the absence of regular power supply even small scale industry could not come up. Even the domestic consumption is also not enough. Let thy light shine upon us MSEB ! But they say load shedding due to non payment of bills. Who should pay the bills? Should we learn to pay for the services and amenities we receive? Culture of free bees how long will this prevail …only darkness descends upon. Are we becoming like drones.?
I guess now people are passing through a stage of personal wealth consolidation and no one seems worried about public amenities which are consumed by all. Every one is so much enterprising about self development that they seem not perturbed by pathetic infrastructure. I am afraid this work culture will become fully institutionalized. Consequently our infrastructure will be made up of sand and not rocks, concrete, marble, blocks & steel etc. I begin to wonder whether all the tenders’ specifications are bereft of concrete, cement, bitumen & steel & iron etc. I wish we take note of this dismal state especially our leaders that our Society cannot live on sand & mud infrastructure for they whither away soon and turn into dust only to descend upon us. If we are to go by good hygiene one would have to bath each time you pass through the town as the dust descend on passers by. I begin to wonder what must be the plight of our young teenage girls who are fashion & beauty conscious.
How do they feel when dust descends on their beautiful face? So how long our society must tolerate infrastructure which have been built on sand &mud and continue to do so only to be washed away by rains and in dry seasons when the wind blows dust descend and even envelope on you? There is no real productivity happening and consequently the wealth creation which leads to multiplier effects on development & raising the standard of life is not taking place. Is Senapati hearing? Did the money sanctioned for all infrastructure meant to be built by sand and mud only. Will the administration wake up & take a note of all these and think a new perspective and make Senapati a beautiful place. And will the general public also leave the district administration to do their job without hoodwinking.
(The writer is originally from Senapati now working in Delhi & a Social thinker)
