From Chean Marak
TURA: North Tura, like other constituencies in the state, is also hoping for a change after March 3. There were many issues that remain unattended in the last five years despite the constituency having a representative from the ruling party.
Congress’s Noverfield Marak has been criticised by many of his rivals for non-performance and keeping mum on urban problems like water scarcity and street lights.
But the MLA has a different take on it. The senior leader is certain that he will retain the seat for the second time when the state goes to polls on February 27.
“I am extremely confident and there is no question of my losing this election as I have done so much for the development of my area,” Marak said in a defiant tone while speaking over phone to The Shillong Times.
When asked about his contributions to the development of his constituency, Marak listed a number of local road projects.
Some of the local road projects that Marak claims to have undertaken during his tenure include blacktopping at Rongram Bazar from Nepali household community to Gorkha School, Rengsangre road, 12 km long Chibragre to Babadam road, earth cutting cum blacktopping of road from Chitoktak junction to Sakinggittim.
“Besides these, there are others which unfortunately I cannot recall at the moment,” said Marak.
However, apart from local roads, Marak failed to mention any other development initiatives for his area. The issue of proper street-lighting, which many localities have raised time and again in the past, failed to figure on Marak’s list of development works.
The sitting MLA also did not mention anything being done to ease the problem of water scarcity that the people of Tura Town have been facing during the dry season since the last many decades.
Meanwhile, independent candidate from the constituency, Roger Benny A Sangma, feels that Marak, “who is good natured and has a pure heart”, has been prevented from looking after important issues in his constituency due to his advanced age.
“Marak is of good character but his advanced age has rendered him slow. Many major issues like water scarcity, street-lighting, which have been pending in almost all localities, and people’s demand for proper mobile network stands unfulfilled to this day,” Sangma said.
According to Sangma, solar lights have been provided by the MLA in some places but there has been no equal distribution. Roger Benny also said many schemes are not reaching the actual beneficiaries and only those close to the MLA are getting the benefits.
Another independent candidate and Tura MDC, Rupert M Sangma, was more vocal in his criticism of the sitting MLA and pointed fingers at him for not taking up the issue of water scarcity at the state level. He accused Noverfield of keeping mum on water scarcity in the Assembly though he was the current parliamentary secretary of the PHE.
When asked what other issues need to be taken up, Sangma mentioned widening of roads, providing proper drainage system, installation of proper street lights and finding a solution to ease the traffic congestion in the town.
“These are some of the main issues confronting North Tura but the sitting MLA has completely ignored them,” Sangma alleged.
The GHADC MDC added that the need of the hour was to elect a stable and strong representative who the people could look up to, to take up various burning issues in the constituency.
NPP candidate and former Rajya Sabha MP Thomas A Sangma said the party’s aim is to raise the Garo Hills region as well as other parts of the state.
“Under the Congress government, there is no equal distribution in terms of development. After Shillong, Tura is one of the most important towns in the state. But here, we do not even have the basic facilities like water. Power supply is also erratic. In fact, the region is lagging on all fronts. I aim to do my part for North Tura if I am elected,” Sangma said when asked about his reason for contesting.
Sangma claimed that as elected representatives of the Congress were not performing their duties, revenue was not being generated. He said that even new states like Sikkim, which came into being in 1975, is far more developed.
The leader said while Tura had remained stagnant for so long, all kinds of development was being taken to Ampati which was an ‘injustice’.
When asked if he was satisfied with the performance of the sitting MLA, Sangma said that he was not.
“I am not happy. He does not raise his voice in the assembly. I don’t know if he has ever even spoken in the Assembly,” he said.
Sangma also spoke of the party’s vision document and said that it was concentrating on the four Es- Education, Employment, Equity and Economy.
“We will be working on these lines giving special focus on Education and Employment,” he added.
Besides Thomas A Sangma, Rupert M Sangma and Roger Benny A Sangma, Noverfield will be taking on former Rongram MLA Sengman R Marak, UDP’s Utpal Arengh, Marbindruth Ch Momin of the RPI (A), AAP’s Salnang C Marak and independent candidates Adamkid M Sangma and Cheang D Shira in North Tura.
It will be interesting to see who will get the people’s mandate after the polls. Will the sitting MLA’s development through a number of road projects be enough to retain him the seat? Or will the people choose a new leader for themselves? Will it be a party candidate, or will it be an independent? The answer to all these questions can only be known once the state goes to polls on February 27 and counting of votes is completed on March 3.