Agartala, May 17, 2024: Tripura CPIM Secretary and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury urged state’s Chief Secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha to address the dire livelihood conditions in the state’s remote and hilly regions in a letter sent on Friday.

Chaudhury, accompanied by four CPIM MLAs- Sailendra Chandra Nath, Ramu Das, Nayan Sarkar, and Sudip Sarkar conducted a visit to these areas on May 13 to assess the situation firsthand.

“During the visit, we observed with serious concern that the livelihood scenario in the Chawmanu Block of Dhalai District and other vulnerable areas is extremely alarming. This situation demands urgent intervention and remedial measures from your end to provide immediate relief to the people,” Chaudhury wrote.

The CPIM leader highlighted severe issues, noting a six-month absence of wage employment under the MG-NREGA scheme. “Most regrettably, people are being forced to cross the international border to collect forest-grown foods to stave off hunger,” Chaudhury stated.

He further reported that many drinking water sources are defunct due to lack of maintenance or power supply issues. “The condition of the roads is deplorable, risking complete isolation during the upcoming monsoon. The overall health situation is equally alarming, with sporadic malaria cases and one reported death necessitating immediate preventive measures,” he added.

Chaudhury also pointed out similar conditions in other remote hilly areas, including Dasda, Damcherra, Jampui Hills, Laljuri North District, Ganganagar, Raishyabari, Raima Valley, Ompi, Amarpur, Silacharri, Rupaicharri, Mungiakami, and Tulasikhar. He emphasized that social pension payments are irregular in these regions.

“Distressed villagers face further harassment due to KYC requirements for Job-Cards. Neither the TTAADC, the Agriculture Department, nor the Tribal Welfare Department have provided any financial support for Jhum cultivation, exacerbating the hardship faced by Jhumias,” Chaudhury noted.

Given the gravity of the situation, Chaudhury called for the Chief Secretary’s prompt and personal intervention to alleviate the suffering of the state’s distressed population. “There is no option but to seek your immediate action in resolving these critical issues,” he concluded.