Khumtai Constituency Legislator Mrinal Saikia lodges FIR against NEEPCO

A CORRESPONDENT

GOLAGHAT, Aug 3: Khumtai Constituency MLA Mrinal Saikia lodged an FIR at Golaghat Police Station on Friday against NEEPCO for releasing excess water from its Doyang Hydro Electric Power Project situated in Wokha district of Nagaland without giving sufficient time to the administration to take preventive measures. As a result, water of Dhansiri and Doyang rivers are flowing above the danger mark and most of the villages under Sarupathar, Merapani, Morangi, Khumtai revenue circle were submerged.

Filing the FIR against the NEEPCO authority, the MLA demanded compensation for the flood victims. In the FIR, MLA Mrinal Saikia stated that after releasing water from the four radial gates, of the Doyang Hydro-Electrical Power Project, the water level of Doyang and Dhansiri rivers is increasing upto 3 metre from its danger mark.

In the sudden floods, 99 villages, 67725 persons and 4853 hectare of corpland have been badly affected. Besides the wooden bridge at Morangi and 3 no. Bhulaguri connecting road was washed away by the flood water and a part of the RCC bridge at Kamargaon of Numaligarh was also washed away.

Mrinal Saikia demanded that NEEPCO must take responsibility of the devastating floods on the lives and property of the victims.

He also asked the Golaghat Superintendent of Police to immediately carry out an inquiry into the matter and initiate action against the NEEPCO Authority.

Notably, as per Friday reports, 14 villages under Khumtai revenue circle, 12 villages under Sarupathar revenue circle, 12 villages in Merapani sub-division (Gomariguri Dev Block), 12 villages under Golaghat revenue circle, 19 villages under Morongi revenue circle, 23 villages under Bokakhat revenue circle and 7 villages in border area (Sector B) have been affected across the district in this flood. Altogether, 4853 hectares of agricultural land is currently under water while total livestock affected is 13600.

Meanwhile, the overall flood scene in the State remained critical on Friday with 87,472 people in 153 villages across 14 revenue circles in six districts reeling under flood fury.

The rivers flowing above the danger level were Brahmaputra, Dikhow, Dhansiri, and Jia Bharali.

The six affected districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Golaghat, Sivasagar and Charaideo with Golaghat remaining the worst affected.

The highest number of villages affected was 99 in Golaghat, followed by 20 in Darrang and 15 in Sivasagar.

There was no report fresh death in floods and landslides on Friday. Till Thursday, three persons had lost lives in floods with one each in Dhemaji, Udalguri, and Golaghat. The cumulative death as on Thursday is 41 with 38 falling victim to floods, and three to landslides.

Altogether 87,472 people are taking shelter in relief camps with 23,835 inmates in Golaghat and 317 in Sivasagar.

The district administrations have initiated all measures to tackle emergency situations.