MLA Dipayan Chakraborty seeks govt intervention for renovation of DDIPR office in Silchar

Feb 15: The Regional Office of Information and Public Relations (DDIPR) Barak Valley Zone, Assam situated at Captain N.M Gupta Sarani, Silchar is indeed in a dilapidated condition since the last couple of years. Such is the present condition of this office that it is devoid of basic amenities like a washroom for the employees, proper rooms to keep the documents and other items securely and even no drinking water facilities. During rainy season, the rooms get water logged. Recently, Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty visited the office of the DDIPR and assured to take up this matter with the appropriate authorities in Dispur.

During the recent visit of Minister for Water Resources, Information & Public relations, Pijush Hazarika, this matter was taken up in its truest stride by Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty. In a memorandum addressed to the Minister, Silchar MLA wrote, “I would like to inform you that the Office of the Deputy Director, Information and Public Relations, Barak Valley Zone near India Club, Silchar is in a horrible state with water leakage through the slab. After my visit, I was taken aback at the condition of the office where it is not possible to carry out official duties and is in an unhealthy and unhygienic state.”

“The matter has been informed several times to the concerned authority and an estimate has also been prepared by P.W.D. Building Division but no work has been done till date. Requesting you to consider constructing a new office building on their own land near India Club, Silchar so that we can provide healthy working condition to the employees,” added MLA Chakraborty.

It needs mention here that earlier, the office of DDIPR was known as the District Information and Public Relations Office, Silchar which was then run in a rented house in Natun Patty, Silchar. In the year, 1999, the then Deputy Commissioner Cachar, Paban Kumar Borthakur took initiative to shift this office to its present permanent premise.

Later, in the year 2007, this office was upgraded to Regional Office of Information and Public Relations (DDIPR) Barak Valley Zone, Assam. The then DIPRO Haran Dey was promoted to the post of Deputy Director of information and public relations, Barak Valley Zone.

In 2012, the then DDIPR, Barak Valley Zone Assam, D.N Loing sent a proposal to the higher authority in Guwahati for the construction of 3-storied “Janasanyog Bhaban” building at an estimated cost of Rs. 1 crore. But surprisingly, since then the government has taken no initiative to take up this project. Former Directors of Information and Public Relations, Rajib Prakash Baruah and Anupam Choudhary also visited the Silchar office of DDIPR and took stock of the situation, but no steps were taken to renovate or construct a building at that site.

It was, perhaps for the 1st time that any public representative paid a visit to this office. In February 2022, MLA Dipayan Chakraborty when personally saw the condition of the office of the DDIPR, Silchar, he immediately took up the matter with Minister Pijush Hazarika, who in turn assured to take up this matter positively at the earliest convenience.