A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The release of excess water from the Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant (RHEP) operated by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), located at Yazali of Arunachal Pradesh, continued through the River Ranganadi for the third day. As a result of it, new villages under North Lakhimpur, Naoboicha and Bihpuria revenue circles of Lakhimpur district have been inundated by the flash flood during the period of three days.
Notably, the hydro-electric power generating company NEEPCO released the excess water from the Ranganadi dam by opening Dam Gate No. 5 by 3500 mm for the first time of the running year on Friday at 10.20 am and the same status of releasing the excess water continued till 5.30 pm. As a result of it, the overflowning water of the River Ranganadi subsequently inundated several villages under Pachim Telahi Gaon Panchayat of North Lakhimpur Revenue Circle. Thereafter, the excess water from the catchment area of the RHEP had been continuously released by opening the same Dam Gate by 2500 mm from 5.30 pm, by 2000 mm from 9.00 pm on Friday, by 1700 mm from 4.30 am, by 1500 mm from 7.10 am, by 1400 mm from 9.00 am, by 1800 mm from 2 pm, by 2600 mm from 4.00 pm and by 2000 mm from 9.40 pm on Saturday. On the other hand, excess water had been released through the same Dam Gate by opening it by 1500 mm from 6.00 am, by 1000 mm from 7 am and by 800 from 12 noon. At present, the Dam Gate has been opened by 1100 mm from 1.30 pm and the excess water is being continuously released in that manner till the filing of this report.
The flood caused by the river due to the release of the excess water from the dam inundated almost 10 villages under the said GP, including Bongaon, Shantipur, Moluwal, Dowarpar, Kathalguri, Chanong Gaon, thereby affecting the normal life of the residents. On the other hand, the same NEEPCO created flood has already affected the No. 1 Panchnoi, No. 2 Panchnoi and Kulabil Dezoo Chapori villages under Naoboicha Revenue Circle and washed away livestock and poultry. Flood has already inundated Pachnoi Janajati ME School under Naoboicha RC, Kathalpukhuri LP School, Solmari LP School, Amtola Bishnupur LP School, Na-Bhagania LP School, Shula Borah LP School, Milan Jyoti ME School, Moluwal Shantipur LP School Dhakhin Amtola Janajati ME School and Pub Amtola LP School under North Lakhimpur RC while erosion of River Subansiri has caused massive threat to the embankment of Botomchuk and Purani Bahgora area. A total of 3,202 people, 193.52 hectares of crop area, 1,580 big animals and 550 small animals have been affected by the present wave of flood.
On the other hand, the Lakhimpur unit of Asomiya Yuva Mancha (AYM) and the Ranganadi flood victims initiated agitation programme on Saturday against the release of the excess water by NEEPCO from RHEP amid the adverse situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the four phase lockdown initiated in order to combat the pandemic. The organization alleged that the NEEPCO released the excess water from the Ranganadi dam without serving any alarm and ringing the siren. Under such circumstances, by staging the demonstration on Ranganadi embankment, the organization demanded the Lakhimpur district administration to make the serving of prior information regarding the release of water from RHEP and ringing the alarm siren installed by the side of river mandatory for NEEPCO before the release of water. Coming down heavily on the issue, the AYM central committee organizing secretary demanded the district administration and the NEEPCO to ensure the security of the life of Ranganadi riverine people and their property. The district administration released 54.46 quintals of rice, 9.56 quintals of dal, 2.87 quintals of salt and 287 litres of mustard oil on Sunday as relief items for the flood-affected people.