From Saurav Borah
SOUTH TURA, Feb 16: A couple collecting “stream water” from a makeshift plastic pipe snaking out of a wall beside a pavement at Hawakhana, right in the heart of Tura town, tells a story, ahead of yet another Assembly election.
It tells us that even after five decades of Meghalaya’s statehood, the common residents of this key, ‘urban’ town, second only to capital Shillong in terms of “whatever tangible development” it has seen, are still grappling with water woes.
For Phanseng A Sangma and his wife, Stella – the couple who was patiently collecting water into several buckets and cans on Tuesday morning – such a cumbersome drill has been a daily affair for months and years in the absence of ample water at home.
“Scarcity of drinking water as well as water for daily use is a major problem we face every day. So much so that we have to collect at least eight buckets of water and ferry them from Hawakhana to our residence and shops at Tetengkol on an autorickshaw,” Phanseng, in his mid forties, told this correspondent.
A few kilometres away, at Walbakgre, Grim Sangma, 24, was seen supplying about 1500 litres of water to a vehicle wash centre.
“I carry 1500 litres (collected from Balading) in a single trip on my vehicle and distribute the same to households and commercial centres on demand, which is high in the absence of regular water supply,” Grim, a father of three, said.
Yes, water woes continue to haunt a good chunk of voters of 51 South Tura Assembly constituency, despite umpteen promises made by candidates and parties before an election.
Notably, Meghalaya was conferred an honour by the President last year for being one of the “Best Performing States” in the implementation of JJM (Jal Jeevan Mission) in the country. The state was ranked second in the category of states/Union Territories in JMM implementation.
Phanseng also vented his ire against the public representatives, saying: “We have voted for candidates and parties over the years, but there have been no schemes to take care of our basic necessities, be it water, houses under schemes such as PMAY, and jobs.”
Communication too has been found wanting in Tura town, especially for students, traders and office-goers.
“The auto-rickshaw drivers do not want to ply to Danakgre, where our university is located. If at all they oblige, I have to spend all my pocket money on the to-and-fro fares. So, I mostly walk to my university which takes about 15 minutes,” said 18-year-old Fleming R Marak, a student of computer applications at ICFAI University.
Asked what the Android generation expects from the would-be MLA and the new government, Fleming was quick to point out the communication ills that plague the town. “We need good roads and buses to commute conveniently and at cheaper rates,” he added.
At busy Tura Bazar, where the pavement space is rendered limited by a bevy of vegetable vendors, seventy-year-old Bhanu Dey, a stationery shop owner, is hopeful of positive transformation.
“We expect our MLA to provide an alternative space for street vendors so that the pavements here are cleared for pedestrians to walk. Besides, the traffic-congested area lacks a modern multi-level parking lot which we hope will come up in the next five years. A flyover/overbridge will also help ease the traffic snarls,” the resident of Beldarpara said.
He however said that the much-needed paver block-topping of a road from Tura Market to Beldarpara has been done during the current term.
The problem of power load shedding too, he says, has been addressed to an extent in the area with a presence of mixed communities.
But in general, load-shedding, be it in residences or hotels and home stays, has plagued Tura for decades now. Moreover, Tura town has key areas that are devoid of streetlights, an area where the powers that be have not quite paid attention to.
On his expectations from the government, Dey wished that policies would be formulated whereby non-tribals too have their share of jobs. “Our income sources are limited and money comes in trickles from petty businesses,” he said.
The senior citizen further hoped that patients can have access to their own medical college and hospital in Tura.
“As of now, we have to go to places like Guwahati and outside the Northeast for advanced medical treatment,” he said.
In December last year, a compact yet beautiful sports complex was inaugurated in the constituency even as the Rs 128-crore project was yet to be completed.
On Tuesday, less than two weeks to the hustings, a road roller was seen levelling the pathway to one of the entrances to the magnificent sports complex.
Inside the complex, a few workers were busy loading and carrying sheets that were neatly piled on, across a section of the partially-completed basement of one of the galleries.
Asked about the state of sports in Tura, Jrang Marak, a contractual employee under the Meghalaya Rural Livelihood Mission and a resident of Tetengkol, said, of late, things have started happening in the field of sports, albeit in trickles.
“We expect to see more national events, like in Shillong, once the complex is fully done up,” Marak said.
A Scheduled Tribe-reserved constituency located in West Garo Hills District.
51 South Tura Assembly constituency has 33,499 voters and 37 polling stations.
The key seat is currently represented by the chief minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma.
Conrad had, during a poll campaign here on Sunday, claimed that “there is an NPP wave.” “Voters of Tura are not going to vote for Conrad Sangma alone but the chief minister of the state and your votes will have a rippling effect across the state,” he told voters in Tura Bazar. BJP has fielded Bernard N Marak, who has during his campaigns, pledged during his campaign that his party would bring in good governance.
“Preparations are going on in full swing and I am confident of winning the seat,” Marak told this correspondent.
A new entrant in Meghalaya, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), has fielded Richard Mrong Marak, who has promised the people a “much-wanted” change.
“People in South Tura, or for that matter in Meghalaya, do not want a ‘proxy BJP’ government in Meghalaya. We have also come out with an inclusive manifesto which will empower the citizens, especially women. TMC will be fighting the elections on the issue of governance. We are focusing on providing employment across sectors, education, opportunities for farmers and traders,” Marak told The Shillong Times on Tuesday.
The Opposition Congress has given its ticket to Brenzield Ch Marak while former MLA John Leslee K. Sangma is contesting from the United Democratic Party (UDP).