GLEANING RCC ROAD OF CHENARI NAGAR PANCHAYT

GLEANING RCC ROAD OF CHENARI NAGAR PANCHAYT

20-JULY-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

SASARAM----------------------------Don't call it "impeccable" (chak-chauband); call it a road of slippery chalk and packed garbage! No, no, Sir—don't stare in disbelief. This isn't a pond, a ditch, or a fish farm; this is the "gleaming RCC road" at Karpoori Chowk in Chenari Nagar Panchayat.

As soon as it rained and water pooled, the road revealed its true colors. The accumulated water caused mud to gather in such a way that it seemed to be celebrating its freedom from captivity. Forget walking on this path; one is afraid even to stand here, lest a slip sends one "straight to the hospital."

Locals have repeatedly raised the issue of drain cleaning, but the administration simply refuses to listen. In the officials' files, every street stands as a model of "Swachh Bharat" (Clean India). What the reality is on the ground matters little to them.

A word of caution: If you commute via Karpoori Chowk or the Veterinary Hospital, watch your step and mind your safety. If you slip and fall, the responsibility is yours! After all, the authorities will simply say, "We built the road; why didn't you walk carefully?"

When they came asking for votes, they promised to usher in a "wave of development." The current situation is such that, far from a fresh breeze, a flood of filthy water has engulfed the area; looking at this sludge-filled waterlogging, people are remarking that while Chenari may not become a 'Smart Nagar Panchayat,' it will certainly earn the status of a 'Slip-Nagar Panchayat' (a place where one is bound to slip).

This is the main market road in Chenari, connecting to the Malhipur-Kudra State Highway. You can see for yourself how water is flowing across the road like a river.

When Chenari was upgraded from a Panchayat to a Nagar Panchayat, people hoped that a 'river of development' would flow through the area. However, the ground reality is now evident to everyone.

The government spends lakhs of rupees annually on the Gupta Dham Festival; yet, ironically, the main route leading to Gupta Dham and the Durgawati Reservoir (Karamchat Dam)—renowned as the 'Mini Switzerland of Bihar'—suffers from such severe waterlogging that ordinary citizens and pilgrims face immense hardship.

The holy festivals of Sawan and Mahashivratri are fast approaching. During this time, lakhs of pilgrims from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh travel on foot to Gupta Dham to perform *Jalabhishek* (ritual offering of water). In this context, you can see for yourself the actual state of preparedness on the part of the district administration and local public representatives.

To seek an immediate solution to this serious issue, I spoke directly with the District Magistrate of Rohtas, Mr. Deepak Mishra, and apprised him of the entire situation. He has given a positive assurance. We hope that necessary action will be taken promptly, keeping in mind the convenience of the pilgrims and local residents.