GUWAHATI: Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika on held a review meeting with the chief engineer, senior engineers, and executive engineers of the Department of Water Resources at the Assam Water Centre in Basistha, Guwahati, on Friday (April 28)
Hazarika, during the meeting, gave strict instructions for advance deployment in all riverine areas of Assam for flood and erosion prevention measures ahead of the upcoming monsoon season
The minister advocated close monitoring of the areas most prone to floods and erosion. Hazarika also directed preventive activities to begin within the next 15 days at all the identified 108 vulnerable spots in Assam.
The focus of the review meeting was assessment of the repair of 41 damaged sites on 26 embankments across Assam, as well as reviewing the ongoing work and the construction of ring bunds, sluice gates, and other structures at several of the locations.
During the meeting, Hazarika also announced that, no permanent work of the water resource department would be carried out from May 15 to October, only temporary work. This would allow the department to focus on flood protection work, which is crucial for flood-prone area in the state of Assam.
The minister stressed that work of permanent nature will commence in December, with all pending works of permanent work to be stopped from May 15 and again commencing from the month of December.
Expressing his gratitude to all chief engineers and engineers involved in the flood prevention work, Hazarika added that no corrupt officials or engineers would be allowed to work on any project. He also announced the suspension of an engineer from Udalguri, who did not attend the review meeting without prior information to the authorities.
Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Charaideo, Chirang, Badarpur, Dhakukhana, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Goalpara, Guwahati East, Guwahati West, Hailakandi, Jorhat, Karimganj, Majuli, Mangaldai, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, North Lakhimpur, Palasbari, South Salamara, Sivasagar, and Tamulpur were identified to comprise the vulnerable areas during the meeting. The repairs for these areas are to commence within the next 15 days, and that, during the monsoon season the department will be vigilant in all the flood- prone districts.
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