Boko (Assam), Sept 30: Residents of Lampi along Meghalaya-Assam border have voiced concern over the lack of basic infrastructure leading to slow pace of development and perennial difficulties faced by the people living along the inter-state border. Lampi, called Langpih in West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, is one of the most sensitive disputed areas between Assam and Meghalaya.
Among other long-standing issues, the local people mainly raised the lack of educational and health care facilities during an interaction with Kamrup district commissioner Deba Kumar Mishra, who visited the border area on Saturday.
The newly appointed DC visited Upper Lampi and later took stock of the basic facilities and concern of local people at Lower Lampi. Underlining the urgent need for high and higher secondary schools in the area, the residents pointed out that there is no government employee at Lampi.
Absence of adequate healthcare forces around 4,000 residents from seven villages in the area to travel to Boko, 28 km from Lampi, for any medical emergency.
They also urged the DC to initiate measures to sanction an ambulance for the area.
The locals also alleged that due to poor network coverage, government schemes including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) could not be implemented properly. Four projects under MGNREGA have been delayed due to connectivity issues, they said.
They also lamented that they have been deprived of water supply under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a national initiative to provide safe drinking water to all rural households. The DC assured the people of Lampi to take up the issues with authorities concerned and try to resolve them on an urgent basis. Boko circle officer Divas Bardoloi, block development officer Gangotri Neog, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council member Arjun Chetri, and Rangia sub-divisional officer Devashish Goswami were also part of the delegation.
