The country is gearing up to celebrate the 65th Independence Day amidst the chaotic environs. The unfortunate Assam riots in which many dozens innocent lives, hundreds of people got injured and more than two lakhs become homeless. In response the protest by minorities in the financial capital Mumbai at Azad Maidan turned into a war zone and the separatist forces tried to give it communal colour by misinterpretation of facts like the minute difference between Islamic Flag and Pakistani Flag. On the other hand two back to back agitations first by Anna Hazare from July 25, 2012 and second by Yog Guru Baba Ramdev from August 9, 2012 in the national Capital Delhi altogether caused the eruption of political war among the leading political parties.
While the entire country especially the capital of India was witnessing all the chaos and people were following the developments on various media sources, a region called ‘Seemanchal’ in the north-eastern part of Bihar was battling with its own issues. The Independence and meaning of liberation is just a word in Oxford / Cambridge and any other dictionary. From 1947 to 2012, 65 years have passed but this area has hardly seen anything in the name of development apart from the Railway Track, National Highways, markets with small and big shops, few educational institutions with basic facilities, hospitals with inadequate amenities, etc. On the other hand, if you start counting the issues there are scores of them such as illiteracy, unemployment, poverty, health and sanitation, malnutrition, etc. In short, a journey to nook and corner of the Seemanchal area will virtually take you into pre-Independence area.
‘Seemanchal’ the region comprised of eight districts namely Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura (all in Bihar) and Uttar Dinajpur (West Bengal) seems half Independent in today’s time. When the metros like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad are becoming a better place to live in with the addition of amenities like flyovers, metros and other convenient transport systems, the condition in Seemanchal area is worsening day-by-day. Be it the elected representatives or the ruling governments at the state capital and national capital, hardly anyone thinks about the development of Seemanchal region.
The majority of people in Seemanchal region sleeps without two times proper meals, they hardly get medical assistance for illness that can be fatal as well, the farmers somehow manages to grow crops in their fields but their yield doesn’t get proper rate in markets, the government run schools from primary till high schools don’t have good teachers, the mothers having breast feeding child don’t get proper (nutritious) meal and the old aged people without proper medicines suffer from many diseases mostly related with respiratory system. There are scores of problems related with this area which is having a population of 2 crore.
Due to less literacy among the common people the area is deeply trapped in the ‘Cancer of Corruption’. You can notice the corruption everywhere from schools to hospitals, railway station reservation counters to bus stands, registration office to government offices and banks, markets to cross-roads. In fact, corruption is visible at every level in the region of Seemanchal. Sadly, despite seeing the corrupt system around us hardly the people of area dare to raise voice against those who are corrupt.
At the same time, the road connectivity is yet to reach the villages of Seemanchal region. Many ailing patients lose their valuable lives due to improper treatment or they take last breath while on way to hospitals. Similarly, the unavailability of electricity in remote areas of Seemanchal has kept the people totally disconnected from rest of the country as they can’t have cable connected television or computer with internet connection. The clean drinking water is not available to common people hence they suffer from common problems like acidity and other water related diseases.
Coming back to the point, the Seemanchal area also become free on August 15, 1947 and the people of this area had also contributed to make this country prosperous and a developing one. It has produced many political leaders, educationists, scientists, doctors, engineers, journalists, business tycoons, social activists, lawyers, etc. like other parts of nation. Seemanchal has produced the best tea of the country, wheat, rice, maize, pineapple, litchis, banana and several other produce that are exported in other parts of India. Fact is that the ruling Congress led UPA government is having one Member of Parliament (Maulana Asrarul Haque from Kishanganj) and three Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) namely Dr. Jawed Azad (Kishanganj), Tousif Alam (Bahadurganj) and Md. Afaque Alam (Kasba) from Seemanchal region.
This is matter of big concern that despite contributing to the country in almost every field the Seemanchal region has remained a victim of political negligence. The term of development seems an alien there. Nature has blessed the region of Seemanchal with wonderful gifts like lush-green surroundings, fertile land and pure breathing air, but the policy makers of country hardly care the region of Seemanchal and its people. After describing the dismal condition of Seemanchal in nutshell, I leave an important question before you. Is Seemanchal really Independent? Think over this and try to find a solution unless the condition will remain same even after 100 years of Independence.
