Namaskar Bharalu : A Revolutionary Vision for Assam’s Economic Liberation!

Namaskar Bharalu : A Revolutionary Vision for Assam‘s Economic Liberation!

ANJAN SARMA

Unveiling the Naga Gentleman’s Trailblazing Idea for Assam’s Prosperity

In a remarkable turn of events, the ‘Namaskar Bharalu‘ initiative has the potential to signify a revolutionary change for Assam, with the capability to settle all its debts.

This notion may seem like a groundbreaking revolutionary thought, but it’s an unheard and unique concept, as astonishing as the idea of cows climbing trees!

The premise suggests that utilizing the Bharalu River could not only clear Assam’s debts but also leave billions of rupees in surplus.

As a child, I heard fanciful sayings like:

 “Mango trees bear jujubes,

Tamarind trees bear betel leaves.

 Cook with mustard and use lentil paste as oil.

 Coconut in mango trees, betel leaves in areca plants.

 Seven elephants have spread the mat,

Mice are reclining on their beds.”

[ In Assamese:‘আমৰ গছত জাম লাগিল, তেতেলি গছত বেল।
সৰিয়হ আঞ্জা কৰি, মাহৰ পেৰে তেল।।
আমৰ গছত ডাব নাৰিকল, তামোলৰ গছত বেল।
সাতোটা হাতীয়ে আলচখন পাতিছে, এন্দুৰৰ গাতত মেল।।’]

 Such thoughts are wildly imaginative and bizarre!

‘Namaskar Bharalu‘—solely by the Bharalu could Assam pay off all its debts! It was during my sudden second encounter with a Naga gentleman in Guwahati’s Joyanagar, after meeting him initially on the 9th of August in Shillong, that these thoughts resurfaced.

Our previous interaction had been so enriching—fueling my article in Assamese language ( english title may be like this- ‘The Existential Crisis of Assamese Indigenous Cows: A Naga Gentleman’s Perspective’)—that seeing him again naturally filled me with excitement.

After the article was published in Mahabahu, many expressed their appreciation for it. My encounter with the Naga gentleman, therefore, brought me sheer joy. I pointed him out to my friend Khound, who was walking with me from Beltola Bazaar to Joyanagar, asking, “Do you recognize him, Khound?“

Although Khound had read our conversation in Mahabahu, he did not recognize the gentleman since he wasn’t with me in Shillong. Nonetheless, I greeted the gentleman warmly with a handshake, and Khound joined in.

I asked when he had arrived from Nagaland, and he replied that he had come that morning and was waiting to meet his nephew, who was studying at ‘Downtown University,’ as he had a couple of hours to kill before his nephew’s class ended.

 Khound’s sudden empathy led us to his nearby apartment for a brief respite with some tea and water. The Naga gentleman agreed to accompany us, albeit refusing to drink tea—jokingly stating that Naga people don’t drink tea but he wouldn’t mind some Maggi noodles.

Time flew by unnoticed as we engaged in conversation at Khound’s place. While enjoying Maggi, the Naga gentleman shared such original, brilliant, and extraordinary ideas that they could be revolutionary. Such thoughts had probably never crossed anyone’s mind, not even in dreams!

He suggested that if his advice were followed, Assam could be liberated from debt and amass billions in the treasury. Moreover, every minister and legislator could afford to travel in chartered planes or helicopters, with Assam even able to purchase its own fleet of helicopters. Money would abound, all thanks to the Bharalu!

Our astonishment was boundless. It was a wonder why such a distinguished individual hadn’t yet been appointed as an economic advisor.

The essence of the entire dialogue (or rather the Naga gentleman’s advice) was as follows: While reading a newspaper at Khound’s place, he stumbled upon a shocking piece of news.

The total debt of Assam amounted to INR 101,996.95 crores, and since 2012-13, the government had paid INR 34,968.50 crores in interest!

The gentleman began reproaching us relentlessly for the massive debt overhead yet the extravagant expenses. He pointed out that there was no pillar on Guwahati’s main streets commemorating the Chief Minister’s expenditure of INR 107 crores on chartered flights and helicopters within five years. “First, incur debt, then fly in helicopters,” he mocked, suggesting we should think more creatively.

When I asked what solutions he had in mind, he chuckled and inquired if I knew the MLA from East Guwahati or the Mayor of Guwahati, or even the MP Queen Oja. Satisfied upon knowing that I recognized the MP, he proposed that if his ideas were conveyed to her and she presented them to Minister Singhal in the cabinet, Assam’s debts could be vanquished.

He began explaining his plan, referring to the Bharalu River as a stream that begins in the Khasi hills and merges into the Brahmaputra after passing through various areas, collecting all sorts of waste and pollutants.

Khound noted the dreadful pollution in Bharalu, with Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels often exceeding safe limits. The river had become a carrier of countless contaminants. The Naga gentleman interjected, emphasizing there was a solution.

Recalling how the Bharalu was covered with green tarpaulin during a cricket match in Guwahati to hide its polluted state, he hailed it as a ‘Guinness Record’ of ingenuity.

This time, he started with a calculation: the Namami Bharalu Project Force and the land area covered by the Bharalu River amount to 120 square kilometers. Converting this to square feet, 1 square kilometer equals 10,763,910.4 square feet.

 Therefore, multiplying this by 120 square kilometers gives us 1,291,669,248,000 square feet.

This area, in turn, translates to 4,484,496 Katha (a local land measurement unit in Assam), of which 8,496 Katha are reserved for ministers, legislators, principals (excluding vice-principals), political party leaders, officers, journalists (excluding web portal journalists), former MPs, former MLAs, and for the purpose of the Sahitya Sabha (Literary Society). This leaves a remaining 4,400,000 Katha.

If the government were to sell this remaining land at 25,000,000 Indian Rupees per Katha, it could potentially earn a staggering 1,100,000,000,000,000 Rupees!

Given that the total debt of Assam is 1,019,969,500,000,000 Rupees, subtracting this debt from the potential earnings leaves the government with a surplus of 80,030,500,000,000 Rupees. In other words, after settling all its debts, the Assam government could have a substantial sum of money at its disposal.

Now, let’s consider the cost of concrete laying: for every 1,000 square feet, the estimated cost is approximately 150,000 Rupees. With 4,400,000 Katha equating to 1,267,200,000,000 square feet, the total cost for concrete laying would come to 190,080,000,000,000 Rupees.

This cost could be gradually covered by the interest generated from the surplus funds left after debt repayment when kept in a bank.

Afterwards, these 4,400,000 Katha could be divided into plots of 1.5 Katha each, resulting in 2,933,333 plots. If a quality architect designs two houses on each plot similar to “Larica Green” near the airport, there would be a total of 5,866,666 houses.

According to the policy advocated by the current government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, which recommends two children per family, approximately 23,466,664 people could be accommodated in these houses.

If the government were to collect an annual property tax of 5,000 Rupees per house for 10 years, it would amass 293.3 billion Rupees. This revenue would add to the previous surplus funds. Money generates more money.

This strategy could lead to the elimination of GST for the state, resolution of the issue of homelessness, addressing raw material needs for toilets, solving the problem of plastic bags and bottles, and ultimately, clearing all of Assam’s debt. It could even enable the Assam government and legislative assembly to afford helicopters and possibly conduct cabinet meetings in the sky – setting a Guinness World Record!

The Naga gentleman shared a vision of a transformed Bharalu, covered in concrete, with homes for thousands, generating revenue through property taxes and solving housing issues.

He painted a picture of an Assam free from debt, where the government could afford helicopters and perhaps even hold cabinet meetings in the sky—a Guinness Record in the making!

His phone rang before he could finish. His nephew had arrived, and he hurried off, leaving Khound and me speechless. We remained, trying to grasp the enormity of his revolutionary vision for Assam’s economic liberation through the ‘Namaskar Bharalu‘ project.

Images from different sources

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