I am originally from the district of Sivasagar and never had been to the north bank of the Brahmaputra until November 2005, when I travelled through Dhemaji to Silapathar as an emissary of the US-based Prabasi Asomiya charitable organization, UAONA, in support of the rural volunteer centre and its constructive efforts on behalf of the extremely deprived people of the region.
Having grown up in rural Asom, I have seen the face of poverty, lack of even the most basic of public amenities in every sphere of life; not to mention the absence of such essential infrastructure as roadways, power, communication — you just name it.
But what I saw in the Dhemaji area was appealing even by my low expectations born out of decades of governmental ineffectiveness and unresponsiveness to the people’s needs. The national highway that runs through the area is nothing less than a national shame. This condition of the area should have been brought to the attention of people in positions of responsibility, influence and power long ago.
It is with these facts in mind that I strongly support the Dhemaji area’s demand to be the home of the proposed engineering college. The more developed areas of Assam owe it to the people of this severely neglected segment of their State.

Chandan K Mahanta,
St Louis, USA.

(Letter to Editor,The Sentinel,25.03.2007)