ProMASS News
Agartala, September 07, 2019: Indigenous people of Tripura of a rural hamlet staged a road blockade at Aarai mile along Gandachhera-Ambassa road under Dhalai district in support of three-point demand today. Local sources said, inhabitants were demanding pending REGA wages. MNREGA is a centrally sponsored income generation scheme, but beneficiaries alleged they were not getting wages under scheme. As the festive season in Tripura is ensuing, MNREGA beneficiaries are demanding release of pending wage bills and to press for their demand, inhabitants of remote hamlet resorted to road blockade to draw attention of local administration.
While clearance of pending wages was one of the three demands, two other demands are pertaining to arrangement of drinking water facilities and completion half-done construction work of a bridge over the Dhalai River.
Today being the day for special market day (Haat Baar), the road blockade left the vehicles stranded on both sides of the road.
Later, agitators withdrew almost 4-hour long blockade after assurance from the SDM.
In a separate incidence, motor drivers blocked three roads in Gandachhera subdivision under the same district – Gandachhera-Raishyabari, Gandachhera-Amarpur and Gandachhera-Ambassa road throwing vehicular movement completely out of gear and causing much discomfort to passengers – particularly rural traders who were waiting to go to Markets with their produces.
Agitating drivers alleged that they were forced to pay extra money by personnel of different Syndicates. Protesting the practice, drivers blocked the road. Later, the SDM along with other officials held talks with agitating drivers and assured that a meeting would be held along with members of concerned Syndicates. At around 12 noon, agitators withdrew the blockade.
