A CORRESPONDENT
BISWANATH CHARIALI: Bringing a permanent solution to the erosion problem in the State is one of the top priorities of the new BJP-led government, said Pijush Hazarika, Minister of Water Resources and Information and Public Relations. Hazarika, who is also the guardian minister for Biswanath district, on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting at the Deputy Commissioner's conference hall and reviewed the functioning of the water resources and health departments.
The minister said that from now onwards, the functioning of the water resources department would see a vast change. Instructions had already been issued to officers of the department to undertake erosion-control works and projects with long-term vision. The minister also strictly directed officers of the department to end all embankment repairing works by the month of May every year. He said that only temporary and emergency works should be carried out during rainy season.
"I have noticed that there are often delays in commencing embankment repair works by the department on time; owing to which many times we fail to complete them before the rainy season. From now onwards, I have issued strict instructions to the officers of the department to work more efficiently and complete all official procedures and formalities on time so that repair works start on time," said Hazarika.
The minister also asked the officers to ensure that there was no compromise with regards to the quality of embankment repair work. Post the meeting, the minister visited erosion-hit Panpur embankment in Biswanath Chariali and inspected the ongoing repair work. Reviewing the works of the health department, the minister stressed the need to expedite vaccination drive in the district. When the health department cited that due to non-availability of vaccine storage facility in the district, Biswanath needed to share vaccines from Sonitpur; thus slowing down the process, the minister promptly took up the issue with the departments concerned and cleared all hurdles in having an exclusive vaccine storage facility, including availability of fund, in Biswanath.
He issued strict instructions to departments concerned, which include PWD and APDCL, to coordinate with the health department and start work on building the storage facility and to complete it within 10 days. The upcoming vaccine storage facility will be situated within the premises of the Biswanath Chariali Civil Hospital. The minister also took stock of availability of medical facilities, including medicines, in the district. He stressed institutional quarantine of COVID positive patients so that the spread of the virus could be checked more effectively. He also enquired about the quality of food being served to patients in CCCs and the amount of items being given to persons from weaker sections currently staying under containment zones. The meeting was also attended by MP of Tezpur, Pallab Lochan Das and MLAs of Biswanath, Gohpur, Behali and Sootea.