Digboi: A tragic incident in Borbil, Digboi, has once again laid bare allegations of administrative apathy, environmental neglect, and the unchecked spread of illegal liquor. On Tuesday morning, locals discovered the body of Shyam Sundar Singh, son of the late Bhargav Singh, buried under a heap of garbage in the AOD Tel Nallah.
Singh, who informally worked for a scrap dealer in Borbil No. 1, is believed to have entered the choked drain during heavy rains. He became trapped in the sludge-filled channel and died of suffocation. Residents blamed the ongoing road project under the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for obstructing the sewage flow.
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“The drain turned into a deathtrap because of garbage buildup and poor drainage planning. We warned the contractor multiple times, but they ignored us,” said village headman Krishna Mahato.
Local anger has also turned toward the AOD Digboi Refinery. Villagers allege the decades-old Tel Nallah, originally meant to carry refinery waste and sewage, now floods every monsoon, contaminating over 500 bighas of farmland and destroying crops. Despite repeated complaints, no remedial measures have been taken.
Adding to the crisis is the rampant sale of illicit liquor in Borbil, often targeting daily wage workers. Residents fear Singh may have consumed alcohol before entering the drain in search of scrap. “The liquor problem is out of control, and it’s dragging down our most vulnerable,” Mahato admitted.
Social worker Purna Borah said flooded drains have already pushed water into homes in Borbil and Jyoti Nagar. “Year after year, we suffer the same flooding, and the authorities still haven’t acted,” he said. Sub-Inspector Abhinash Das confirmed Singh’s identity but declined to comment on the larger allegations. Meanwhile, villagers insist Singh’s death was not an accident but the product of systemic failure.
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Public pressure is mounting for immediate drain clearance, accountability from NHIDCL and AOD, and a crackdown on the liquor trade. Residents accuse district authorities, excise officials, and local police of ignoring the crisis. Unless decisive steps are taken, they warn, Digboi’s problems will only deepen — with more lives at risk.
