Lakhimpur (Assam) [India], June 17 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several development projects worth approximately Rs 110 crore in the Lakhimpur district.

CM Sarma visited Lakhimpur on Monday and emphasised the district's recent development.

These included the new office of the Chief Executive Officer of the Lakhimpur Zilla Parishad at Borimuri, built at a cost of Rs four crore, and the centralised community kitchen of the Akshaya Patra Foundation at Bebejia Kumartup in Azad, to be constructed at Rs 26 crore.

He also performed the bhoomi pujan for an eco-park in North Lakhimpur, to be developed on 16 bighas of land at a cost of Rs 4.25 crore, and for the second phase of the North Lakhimpur Urban Water Supply Scheme, estimated at Rs 65 crore.

Furthermore, at the Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, the Assam CM inaugurated new facilities, comprising a vocational training institute, a guest house, an indoor stadium, a gymnasium, and a canteen, constructed at a cost of Rs 10.7 crore.

Addressing a public gathering at Tyag Kshetra in North Lakhimpur, Sarma affirmed that the State Government has remained steadfast in its efforts to develop both Lakhimpur town and the wider district.

He stated that alongside the establishment of institutions such as Madhabdev University and Lakhimpur Medical College, efforts are also underway to enhance the infrastructure of the district's spiritual centres.

Highlighting key infrastructural strides, CM Sarma cited the construction of a bridge over the Subansiri River, which would connect North Lakhimpur and Ghunasuti, thereby linking Lakhimpur with Dhemaji via Dhakuakhana.

The Assam CM further noted that ongoing projects, including a stadium at Chaboti, an Inter-State Bus Terminal, a library, the North Lakhimpur bypass, a Government Law College, a Nursing College, and a cancer hospital, are transforming the district's civic landscape.

He noted that through sustained governmental efforts over the past four and a half years, the districts of Biswanath, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji have emerged as some of the most developed in the state.

The Chief Minister remarked that local MLA Manab Deka, in coordination with the district administration, has been diligently working to transform Lakhimpur into a clean and hygienic town, positioning it as a notable model of waste management within Assam. Citing the Chandmari area of North Lakhimpur, CM Sarma observed that nearly four hectares of land near the Sumdiri River had been filled with waste since 1982-83 due to indiscriminate dumping.

'With the site now cleared, the foundation stone for an eco-park has been laid. The proposed park, envisioned as a refuge for rare and endangered plant species, would employ the Miyawaki technique to cultivate dense plantations of native trees,' the CM said.

CM Sarma further stated that water from the Subansiri River would serve as the primary source for the second phase of the North Lakhimpur Water Supply Project. Once both phases are complete, residents will have access to clean drinking water, free from arsenic and fluoride contamination.

Later in the day, the Chief Minister visited the Silapathar residence of Jonai MLA Bhubon Pegu, where he paid floral tributes to the portrait of the legislator's recently deceased mother and extended his condolences to the bereaved family. (ANI)