Flood crisis looming again in State

In most anti-erosion schemes, not even half the work completed

From fincial years 2012-13 to 2014-15, out of 116 anti-erosion schemes taken up by the Water Resources department under flood magement programmes, State plans, CM’s special package and projects under BARD and RIDF, progress of work in 80 schemes is below 50 per cent


BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 22: Flood is a perennial problem in Assam and lakhs of people all over the State face the fury of rivers in spate every year. Thousands of hectares of standing crops are damaged by floodwaters while river erosion cuts away extensive areas, repeatedly hurting the State's economy based primarily on agriculture.

Though Dispur claims that it has taken several measures to minimise the flood problem, it is yet to repair or reconstruct damaged embankments all over the State. Progress of implementation of several anti-erosion schemes by State departments in different flood-prone areas is also very poor. 

According to official records, from fincial years 2012-13 to 2014-15, out of 116 anti-erosion schemes taken up by the Water Resources department under flood magement programmes, State plans, CM’s special package and projects under BARD and RIDF, progress of work in 80 schemes is below 50 per cent. “There is no chance that the works of these 80 anti-erosion schemes will be completed before the coming monsoon. Even if these works are somehow completed, there is no doubt that the quality of work will be very poor,” sources added.

In the fincial year 2014-15, 13 anti-erosion schemes amounting to Rs 7,203.24 lakh were taken up by the department concerned, but the progress of work in seven schemes is below 50 per cent. “In 2014-15, 41 schemes amounting to Rs 1,38,696.27 lakh were taken up by the department concerned under the Barak Valley flood magement progress scheme but the progress of works in 36 schemes is below 50 per cent, in 2013-14, 8 schemes amounting to Rs 1,499.96 lakh were taken up under the CM’s special package scheme but the progress of works in all the 7 schemes is below 50 per cent, in 2014-15, 10 schemes amounting to Rs 2,500 lakh were taken up in the Barak valley under the CM’s special package scheme, but the progress of all these schemes’ work is below 50 per cent,” sources said.

Similarly, progress of works in 20 out of 48 schemes taken up under BARD and RIDF funded projects from 2012-13 to 2014-15, also remain below 50 per cent.

Not only is the progress of anti-erosion schemes very poor in the State, but the condition of majority of embankments and dykes in the State remains vulnerable. Many of these embankments have become weak over the years or have already crossed their lifespan.

So, one can imagine the crisis looming again in flood-prone areas of the State during the coming monsoon.

Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com