Development eludes Misings of Lohitmukh

BISWANATH CHARIALI, May 9 ? The Lohitmukh area, about seven kilometres from Kalabari under Gohpur subdivision in Sonitpur district, has been deprived of basic amenities even after 55 years of Independence. Inhabited by more than 34,000 people belonging to the Mising tribe, the area lacks proper health care, irrigation and communication facilities due to apathy of the authorities concerned. It may be mentioned that an irrigation scheme was launched in the area way back in 1990 spending lakhs of rupees. However, the scheme soon ran out of order and the machines have now been lying idle since 1995. The buildings of the project have now become shelter for stray animals. The people of the greater Lohitmukh area, whose main occupation is cultivation, have been demanding rejuvenation of the irrigation scheme in view of the unfavourable climate for the last few years. Unfortunately, however, the authorities always turned deaf ears to their demands, the people alleged. The Mising people are traditionally rich in livestock keeping. Currently, however, they are facing tremendous hardships to keep their livestock intact due to outbreak of various unknown diseases. The Lohitmukh State Veterinary Dispensary, set up as early as in 1955, has failed to cater to their needs. Deplorable condition of the hospital building, absenteeism of the doctor and other employees, lack of medicines and equipment have turned the dispensary into a mockery of veterinary service. The people alleged that the veterinary doctor remains absent for months together while the field assistants sell the government supplied medicines in the black market. It is to be noted that a three-kilometre part of the Kamdewal-Lohitmukh PWD road was washed away by flash floods in 1998 which has not been repaired till date. The two wooden-bridges on the road are also in dilapidated condition. Though vehicles ply along the crops fields in the dry season, road communication to the area remains cut-off all through the summer. So far as the health scenario is concerned, 34,000 lives of Lohitmukh are at the mercy of an Ayurvedic doctor. It has been learnt that an MBBS doctor was appointed at the aided sub-health centre in 2001. But the doctor did not turn up even for a single day. The Ayurvedic doctor has been facing immense difficulties to meet the demands of such a large population.