Nagaon, Jul 21 : With discovery of silica in the hills of Jiajuri, the area has now become a focal point of business activities. Located nearly 30 km away from Nagaon town, Jiajuri is completely isolated from the mainland and people living in the area are economically backward. But after the geological survey carried out by the Minerals Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL), the people of Jiajuri are extremely happy.“It was a near 10-month long study on the hills of Jiajuri and the silica content in the area is over 90 per cent which is conducive to ceramic and glass industries,” J Topno, who was a member of the exploration team, told this correspondent over telephone from Jharkhand today.Providing more information on the exploration, he informed that nearly 100 trenches were dug in the hills to know the texture of soil and rocks for setting up industries. “The entire belt is rich in minerals that are very useful for pottery and ceramic industries,” Topno, who is also a senior geologist observed. He said that the report along with the mapping in the hills were submitted to the Centre for taking further steps.
It may be recalled that the State Directorate of Geology and Mining had conducted a similar kind of study in 1976 and found quartzite rock structure. The department also made a detailed trenching maping, but unfortunately it did not get adequate attention from the authorities concerned.
The new activities have ushered in a ray of hope among the economically weak local residents. “At last our underdeveloped area will witness some kind of developmental activities,” K Borgohain, a senior citizen of Chapanala told this correspondent while sharing his views on the new discovery. Borgohain added that no government pays attention to the area for which Jiajuri has remained underdeveloped and cut off from the main land. “Unemployment is a major problem in the area. Hence, if an industry is set up in the locality, it will herald positive changes,” he added.
Striking a similar note, Manabjyoti Gogoi who is closely associated with social activities hailed the move by Centre in this connection, saying it would boost industrialisation in the district. “The people in Jiajuri have been encountering a plethora of problems for the past several decades, but proper steps are yet to be initiated. We want our place to be prosperous,” he added.
The Federation of Industries of North Eastern Region (FINER) which has been voicing need for industrialisation has welcomed the move. RS Joshi, chairman of FINER while talking to this correspondent said that the new discovery would give a fillip to industrialisation. “We have to harness local potential by using proper technology so that we can compete with international standards,” he observed.
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