'Dredge Brahmaputra-Barak beds, end floods'

BY OUR

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 23: Both ruling and opposition party legislators on Monday stressed upon dredging the Brahmaputra and the Barak, along with their tributaries – to minimize the State’s flood problem.

Raising the issue during the debate on a cut motion on Water Resources department in the House, Congress MLA Bhupen Kumar Bora said that flood and land erosion problems in the State cannot be solved by constructing embankments only. This will require dredging of the Brahmaputra and the Barak rivers along with their tributaries, he asserted.

Bora said, “Over the years, the bed levels of some rivers have risen due to high sedimentation and other geological factors and consequently, the level of paddy fields has fallen in many areas of the State - raising the spectre of floods. So, the State government must take a resolution on the floor of the House on the river dredging issue and the resolution should be sent to the Central government,” adding, “The Central government promised the people acche din. So, it is the responsibility of the Centre to fulfill the people’s expectations.”

Water Resources minister Basanta Das tried to evade the question but at Bhupen Bora’s insistence, the minister urged the Congress MLA to put up a resolution on this issue in the House.

Reacting to the minister’s statement, AGP MLA Phanibhusan Chowdhury said, “A resolution on such an important issue should come from the government’s side so that it can be easily passed in the House. A private member’s resolution may face hurdles.”

In his reply, minister Basanta Das said, “If there are no technical problems in putting up a resolution in the House, I will do it.” After the Assembly session, Bhupen Kumar Bora met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and held a discussion on the issue. According to sources, Bora was told by the Chief Minister to bring a private member’s resolution on the issue.

During the cut motion, AIUDF MLAs Gopi th Das and Aminul Islam, BJP MLA Dilip Moran, AGP MLAs Keshav Mahanta and Bhupen Roy also aired their opinions on the issue.