Poor Quality Work of Erosion-protection Measures Causes Resentment Among People

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Massive fund misappropriation in the name of implementing erosion protection measures in Subansiri river has been alleged in Lakhimpur district. At a time when the river has made the most of the riverine people homeless by eroding away their residential houses, crop areas and other land and properties from its bridge on NH-15 to Bodatighat of Bihpuria, the agencies and the departments implementing erosion protection measures to mitigate the burning problem in the district can do nothing in the true sense in order to relieve the affected people from the devastation of the river instead of spending the fund into water. Regarding the issue, people living on the bank of the river have resented the agencies and department concerned.

At present, the office of the Water Resources Department of Lakhimpur, Mising Autonomous Council, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and Lakhimpur Zila Parishad have been separately implementing several schemes by spending crores of funds in order to control the erosion of the river. But these schemes do not prove to be effective, which has made the affected people worried. A report on such a scheme being implemented by the Water Resources Departmet in order to protect against erosion of the river from Pub Sagalikota to Dhalghat was published in The Sentinel recently.

In addition to this, such another scheme to control erosion caused by the river was taken up at Bodhakora- Haridas by Lakhimpur Zila Parishad investing a fund of Rs. 1,22,08,000 under MGNREGA. It is alleged that the scheme is being implemented by completely violating the guidelines of MGNREGA. The local people demanded an effective enquiry into the implementation of these schemes. They have also alleged misappropriation of public fund in implementation of the scheme taken up by Lakhimpur DRDA which was executed by Boginadi Development Block.