Silchar: Highlighting a mounting crisis of civic apathy, around 3,000 families in the Madhurapool area under the Udharbond assembly constituency of Cachar district have threatened to boycott the upcoming assembly elections. The residents, who have been reeling under severe waterlogging for an extended period, staged a massive protest on Sunday, blaming administrative inaction and illegal encroachment for their plight.Locals said the greater Rongpur area transforms into a cesspool even after light showers. In the absence of a functional drainage system, stagnant water has become a permanent fixture, leading to a rise in water-borne ailments among children and the elderly.During the protest meeting held at Madhurapool, angry residents warned that they would launch a “non-cooperation movement” at the strategic Madhurapool point within the next 48 hours if the district administration fails to provide a concrete solution.“We have been pushed to the wall. If the govt cannot provide us with basic living conditions like proper drainage, they have no right to seek our votes,” a local resident said.The agitators specifically pointed to the blockage of a natural drainage channel as the primary cause of the crisis. They alleged that an individual, Hifzur Rahman, blocked the channel after purchasing land in the area, cutting off the only outlet for rainwater.Residents claimed that despite repeatedly drawing the attention of local MLA Mihir Kanti Som and the Cachar district administration, no effective steps have been taken to restore the natural flow of water.The prolonged stagnation has sparked serious health concerns. Speakers at the meeting noted a spike in skin infections and fever, with the stench from stagnant pools making daily life unbearable.The protest saw the participation of several community leaders and local representatives.The affected families have now demanded immediate intervention from the Cachar district commissioner to clear the encroachments and initiate construction of a planned drainage network. They maintained that their call for a poll boycott would stand until work begins on the ground.
