Water Resource department takes erosion-protection measures at Jhanjimukh
From a Correspondent
Jorhat, April 26: Due to the massive erosion by Brahmaputra River at Jhanjimukh area under Teok revenue circle in Jorhat district, the Water Resource department, Jorhat division has taken up some temporary erosion protection measures in the affected areas on Tuesday.
Talking to The Sentinel, Water Resource department, Jorhat division, Executive Engineer Hari Prasad Mili said, “We have taken up some preventive measures at Jhanjimukh to protect the areas from erosion. We have used bamboo cripes in the erosion-affected areas as temporary measure to prevent erosion of the mighty river from today. We expect we will succeed in protection of the affected areas during this monsoon.” He added, “We have also submitted a proposal to the government to sanction adequate funds for the erosion protection measures in Jhanjimukh and our top officials have assured us to take required steps on it.”
The Water Department had called a flood preparedness meeting in Guwahati last week where the executive engineers of all the districts in the State took part. The department sought proposals from the district executive engineers to take up schemes in their respective districts for embankment strengthening and such other issues ahead of monsoon and accordingly the executive engineers submitted proposals to the government as their requirements.
The Brahmaputra has eroded a vast portion of areas in Jhanjimukh during the past few years. The mighty river has eroded over 10 villages situated on its southern bank in the last few years. Hundreds of families have been rendered homeless due to massive erosion of Brahmaputra River in Jhanjimukh. The affected families have been taking shelter on embankments since 2004 after their houses and properties were gobbled up by the Brahmaputra. Over 4,000 people in the area are still taking shelter on embankments due to the massive erosion of the river.
Although the affected families have been demanding to the government to take a special rehabilitation project for them but the government has turned a deaf ear to them since long. They have lost their houses, properties and land but the government has not taken up any steps for them.
The local MLA Membor Gogoi, who represented the Teok constituency since 2001 for three consecutive terms, has allegedly not taken any steps for the landless families in his 15 years in power. The local people alleged that the MLA visited the affected areas during the polls. But after the polls are over he remained silent on the issues. The local people requested the MLA to take steps for the erosion-affected families but he allegedly did nothing.
Moreover, the local people alleged that the MLA also organized Jhanjimukh festival by misusing lakhs of government funds meant for the development of the poor people. He even allegedly siphoned of lakhs of government funds released under District Rural Development Authority (DRDA) for Jhanjimukh in the me of organizing Jhanjimukh festival but he did not take up any development schemes for the poor and affected families in the backward area.
“The three times MLA Membor Gogoi did not take up steps for the rehabilitation of hundreds of erosion-affected people of Jhanjimukh in his 15 years in power. He misused lakhs of government funds by organizing Jhanjimukh festival here but did not take any development steps for us. He only visited the affected areas before the polls and made false promises to us. But every time he failed to keep the promises made to us due to reasons best known to him,” said an erosion-affected villager in Jhanjimukh.
