Silchar's civic woes stem from absence of elected municipal representatives: Congress

The Cachar District Congress Committee on July 22 staged a protest outside the Silchar Municipal office, demanding immediate resolution of long-pending civic issues in the town and submitted an eight-point memorandum to the district administration.

The protest began with a rally from the district Congress office, which passed through several key roads in Silchar before culminating in a gherao of the municipal office. The memorandum was submitted under the leadership of Cachar District Congress president Sajal Kumar Acharya.

In the memorandum, the Congress alleged that despite Silchar Municipality being upgraded to a Municipal Corporation, the absence of elected representatives for a prolonged period has resulted in a lack of accountability and administrative responsiveness, adversely affecting civic services.

The party claimed that even light rainfall leads to severe waterlogging in several parts of the town, while residents continue to face irregular drinking water supply, deteriorating roads and poor drainage infrastructure. It also raised concerns over rising prices of essential commodities, increased municipal taxes, lack of financial transparency, worsening traffic congestion, illegal parking, and the growing menace of drugs and anti-social activities.

The Congress placed an eight-point charter of demands before the administration, seeking regular desilting of drains and a permanent drainage system, assured supply of safe drinking water in every ward, stricter monitoring to control prices of essential commodities, immediate repair of damaged roads and drains, public disclosure of municipal fund expenditure from 2020 to 2026, a comprehensive traffic management plan for Silchar, appointment of an Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic), stringent action against drug abuse and anti-social activities, and early implementation of a democratically elected local self-government.

The party expressed hope that the administration would give due consideration to the demands and take prompt measures to address the long-pending civic problems faced by the residents of Silchar.