Central team visits Lakhimpur to take stock of flood and erosion damage

LAKHIMPUR: An inter-ministerial Central team, comprised of Sudhir Kumar, Director (Monitoring & Appraisal Directorate), Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti and Abhisek Agarwal, Assistant Executive Engineer, Ministry of Road and Transport, visited Lakhimpur district on Thursday and Friday in order to take stock of the massive damage caused by the consecutive waves of flood and erosion this year.

Notably, a six-member Central Team arrived in Assam on Wednesday to assess the damages caused by the monsoon floods which affected more than 57 lakh people and claimed the lives of at least 113 people across the State within the last three months till August 20. Arriving in Lakhimpur on Friday at 4 pm, the two members of the team visited the Bonpuroi Lotabari area under Narayanpur Revenue Circle (RC). The team was accompanied by ASDMA Communication Officer Abhijan Tamuli Rajkhowa as protocol officer, Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner Dr. Jeevan B, ADC Bipul Kumar Das, Project Officer of Knowledge Management & Climate Change (State Headquarter) Mandira Buragohain, who is temporarily attached to DDMA, Lakhimpur and district officers of the line departments.

There the Central Team witnessed the devastating erosion caused by the mighty Brahmaputra and interacted with the local people. Then they went to Dolahat breach point under Naoboicha RC and inspected the extensive flood ravages caused by River Singara by breaching the Dolahat Tiniali of NH-15 and Dolahat Bazaar connecting road in the morning on August 14. There they interacted with the flood victims and officers of the line departments and tried to assess the extent of the damages caused by the River Singara flood. Notably, the overflowing water of the river, with its massive force on that day, damaged approximately 64 houses fully and over 900 houses partially in addition to damaging several school buildings and communication infrastructures. The assessment of the damages is still going on as per report from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

Then the Central Team took part in a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner and the district officers of the line departments at the conference hall of the DC's office. In the meeting, Project Officer Mandira Burhagohain made a power-point presentation regarding the flood damages of the district during the past days. On the other hand, the DC presented a sketch on the overall flood and erosion scenario of the district in front of the Central Team. The team members also shared their observations regarding the burning issue of the district and held interaction with the officers of the Water Resources Department and the line departments about the strategies to be adapted while mitigating the problem. On Friday, the Central Team visited the Joyhing breach point under North Lakhimpur RC and then went to Hekerajan erosion affected site under Kadam RC. At Hekerajan, the team members met 14 families whose residential houses were completely eroded away by River Subansiri recently. Then the team inspected the affected part of NH-15 under Kadam RC, damage of which was caused by River Kakoi. Thereafter, the team departed for Majuli.

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