GUWAHATI: The Deputy Commissioner (in-charge), Majuli, personally visited Bhakat Chapori, Gorukhuti area in the riverine island, “and noticed misuse of government fund at the erosion protection site.” Conveying this to the Executive Engineer, Brahmaputra Board, Majuli, Assam vide letter number MDC/PA/1/2016/Vol-I dated May 7, 2019, the DC urgently sought an action-taken report within three days.
The Sentinel had carried a detailed report on the project in its May 7 issue.
Majuli DC (in-charge) further stated in its letter, “Instances of putting empty geo bags inside sand-filled bags along with laying of empty geo bags in between sand-filled geo bags” were brought to his notice. Adding that it is “a serious misconduct and misuse of government fund”, the DC pointed out: This clearly indicates lack of proper supervision and inspection of erosion protection works by the Site Engineers of Brahmaputra Board which has resulted in huge threat to the island as well as agitation among the local people.
Meanwhile, the Majuli sub-division unit of All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Wednesday staged a protest rally over the issue, and later submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, Majuli, demanding an inquiry into the issue.
A copy of the letter along with the AASU memorandum was also sent to the Chief Minister by the district administration.
The Rs 194-crore ‘Protection of Majuli River Island from Erosion’ project is being implemented by the Brahmaputra Board. It is a Central government scheme. The work of this project was inaugurated by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in December 2017 in the presence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The project is being carried out by ‘TK Engineering’, an Arunachal Pradesh-based construction company.
The major components of the project include (a) bank revetment with geobags filled with earth/sand for a reach length of 27 km in 14 locations (b) RCC porcupine works in 41 locations (c) construction of a sluice and (d) construction of a pilot channel for a length of 3.50 km.
The scheme was sanctioned by Government of India in March, 2017. The funding for the project would be from Ministry of DoNER.
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