Sept. 24: The residents of Algapur block in Hailakandi district have decided to launch a movement demanding that Algapur be declared a sub-division, to ensure its all-round development.

The Algapur block, bordering Cachar and Karimganj districts of Barak Valley, has a population of nearly 2.25 lakh.

Recently, a meeting was organised at Algapur Adarsha Vidyapeeth under the presidentship of veteran social worker and principal of the Vidyapeeth, Sasanka Sekhar Nath. The Algapur Sub-Division Demand Committee, formed at the meeting, is trying to unite the NGOs of the area to work with it.

The committee president, Hasanujjaman Mazumdar, said the development of the greater Algapur area is only possible if it is upgraded into a sub-division. He alleged that Algapur lacks basic infrastructure such as proper roads and a water supply scheme.

Moreover, Algapur does not have a fire brigade service and during emergencies, the residents have to wait for the fire brigade to arrive from Hailakandi. Besides, Algapur is also yet to benefit from any of the government’s developmental schemes, he added.

The committee will also raise demands for a fire brigade, a branch of the SBI, a separate education block, an Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) sub-station, a community hall and renovation of the Algapur hospital.

A resident of the Algapur area said Sahidul Alam Choudhury, who represented the constituency in the Assembly 21 years in a row and was cabinet minister twice in the Prafulla Mahanta government, had never done anything to further his block’s development. That his why this time they elected Rahul Roy as their MLA.

A member of the committee said they would start the movement very soon.