A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The deplorable condition of Ranganadi agriculture embankment (SDRF bundh) on the left (east) bank of the river, stretching from Jorkhat Bonia Gaon to Nepali Gaon via Nagar Gaon has posed massive threat to the existence of 11 villages under Pachim Telahi GP of Lakhimpur Legislative Constituency (LAC).
Notably, the SDRF Bundh was constructed by banned outfit organization United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in the ninth decade of the last century and hence the Bundh is known among the public after the name of the organization as ULFA mothauri. After the commissioning of Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant (RHEP), located at Yazali in the State of Arunachal Pradesh, the embankment was reconstructed, but no repairing scheme has been implemented on the same by North Lakhimpur Division of Water Resources Department for the last seven years. Under such circumstances, the embankment has turned critically dilapidated as a result of which almost 1,000 families living in the eleven riverside villages are passing their days in fear of being affected by ravaging flood in the upcoming rainy season. The fear has increased with the rising water level of the River Ranganadi due to the incessant downpour in the last two weeks.
According to Pub Ranganadi Bundh Surakshya Samiti, the non-implementation of any repairing scheme to strengthen the embankment in seven-year long period was unfortunate.
"A half kilometre stretch of the embankment from Jorkhat Bonia Gaon to Bazaar Tiniali has critically decayed. On the other hand, another two kilometre long stretch of the embankment from Pokadol to Nepali Gaon is deplorable. There is strong possibility of breach in the embankment due to the impact of discharged excess water from the RHEP reservoir in the upcoming rainy season," the office bearers of the organization stated. According to them the water level of the River Ranganadi rises from six to ten feet when the excess water from the RHEP, operated by NEEPCO, is released. They expressed vehement resentment over alleged dereliction on the part of Utpal Dutta, former MLA of Lakhimpur LAC, with regard to strengthening the embankment during his tenure.
The massive flood caused by River Ranganadi will ravage a number of villages like Amtola, Major Chapori, Adarsha Milanpur, Milanpur, Pathorichuk, Jorkhat Bonia Gaon, Nagar Gaon, a part of Bhereki Gaon, Pokadol, Pub Amtola, Shantipur under Panigaon and Pachim Telahi Gaon Panchayats.
As a result of the consecutive demands raised by the Pub Ranganadi Bundh Surakshya Samiti since 1991, an official team led by Additional Chief Engineer of WRD, Upper Assam, in its report issued vide Memo. No. ACE/UAZ/CAMP-North Lakhimpur/01-04, dated 10-12-2017, after surveying the embankment along with the Superintending Engineer of North Lakhimpur WRD Division and Assistant Executive Engineer of North Lakhimpur WRD Subdivision on December 10 in 2017, suggested to strengthen the embankment by installing geo-mats with the investment of a fund amounting to Rs. 20 crore. In this regard, the office bearers of Pub Ranganadi Bundh Surakshya Samiti expressed resentment that former Water Resources Department minister Keshab Mahanta had paid no attention to implement the project.
The organization demanded the North Lakhimpur Division of WRD and Lakhimpur district administration to repair the embankment, to control the erosion at the beginning part of the embankment, and to transfer the embankment from SDRF to WRD at the earliest. In this regard, the organization called upon existing Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka to take immediate steps to fulfill his poll promise and to implement the project worth Rs 20 crore as suggested by the WRD official team.