Road-less Karbi Anglong village wants govt. to bridge the gaps

Vivian Longki Rongpi

Diphu, May 30: A small village in Karbi Anglong in Assam is caught between two maladies that they wish the authorities of the area would address: a bridge and a road or the lack of them. The lack of said facilities for the area continues to trouble especially Borlangpher model village, particularly during emergencies and heavy seasons besides adding to commuting woes for the villagers.

Borlangpher model village was established in 1976 in Lumbajong constituency of Assam. It shares borders with Hojai district, which is about half a kilometre from the village. The village is about 7 kilometres from Lumding town in Hojai district and about 30 km from Diphu, the headquarters of Karbi Anglong district.

There is no proper bridge for commuters from Borlangpher except for a temporary wooden bridge that has been built across Borlangpher River. The bridge is the lifeline for the villagers. It is everyday that commuters including school students and women cross the bridge to reach the market. However, the bridge is not the only issue for them. Another problem for them is the lack of proper road. For instance, ambulances can reach only halfway to the village whenever there are medical emergencies.

An interaction with an elder from the village brought to fore the miserable condition of the villagers owing to their not having a proper road or a bridge. The elder, Ronald Teron, informed the Eastern Mirror that the village was set up in 1976. Yet, the villagers continue to face hardships due to lack of said facilities.

Teron informed also about a community initiative that the villagers undertook. Without taking help from the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, the area’s administration, the villagers constructed a wooden bridge in 2017. The bridge is not only for villagers of Borlangpher model village but a lifeline to different communities including neighbours Reang, Chakma, Garo, Tripuri, and Nepali communities whose villages are nearby.

‘Sometimes, swelling currents of the river sweep away the bridge. It is then that we face a lot of hardships. Due to lack of proper road connectivity we cannot take vehicles to our village,’ the elder explained. Further, the villagers are said to have requested the authorities to pave a proper road which the people of the area need, besides a bridge, Teron said.

It was during the previous Assam legislative assembly elections that political parties took their campaign to the village. They are said to have assured the villagers a bridge ‘for better communication but till now no such promises had been fulfilled.’

When queried whether or not the local legislator Sum Ronghang had visited the area, the elder said that the former had, during an election campaign. He reportedly assured construction of a road and a bridge for the people of the area. That said, the villager explained, after winning the election said legislator has yet to visit the village, Teron complained.

Borlangpher is well-known for its vegetables. Green produce from Borlangpher’s regions are exported to other parts of the district and the state.