Namdang Bashbari village in 83 no. Margherita constituency of Tinsukia district, continues to face significant challenges despite 77 years of India's independence.
One of the village's primary concerns is the relentless soil erosion, which has resulted in the loss of over 10,000 bighas of land to the Buridehing River in Margherita. This erosion has not only affected the livelihoods of the villagers, who heavily rely on agriculture, but has also posed a threat to the village's sustainability.
While Namdang Bashbari stands as a model agriculture-based village, its residents endure a multitude of challenges. The absence of proper roads, drainage systems, hospitals, and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) houses underscores the pressing need for infrastructural development.
With a voter base exceeding 1,000 individuals, the village remains underserved by essential government services. Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sharma, Dibrugarh Lok Sabha MP and Union Minister Rameshwar Teli, as well as officials from the Margherita sub-divisional administration and irrigation department, have yet to address the village's plight comprehensively.
"My home was broken 20 years ago. Now, the rest of the homes are breaking with erosion", says a residence.
"It's been 3-4 years since I have changed homes, every year the house keeps on breaking because of the river erosion. The minister comes before the election and tells us they will fix it. However after the election they forget us", says another local resident.
Despite repeated appeals and the village's potential for growth, the lack of attention from elected representatives and administrative bodies has left Namdang Bashbari lagging in the path of progress. The villagers hope for swift action and intervention to alleviate their longstanding issues and pave the way for holistic development in their community.