STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Water Resources Department of the state needs around Rs 400 crore to restore damaged embankments.
According to officials, the department needs around Rs 24 crore to temporarily close breaches at 29 spots, Rs 147 crore to close breaches permanently at 28 spots, Rs 118 crore to repair breach-like damage at 156 spots and around Rs 121 crore to restore other damaged embankments.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma laid stress on quality repair works within the specified timeframe. He held a meeting on the restoration of damaged embankments yesterday. He assessed the preparations and plans of the Water Resources Department to prevent the problem of damaged embankments. He asked the officers to prepare a list of tasks to deal with the problems in an expeditious manner. He emphasized the importance of precautionary measures in the danger zones caused by broken embankments.
Apart from Water Resources Department, several other departments like P&RD, Irrigation and panchayats also construct embankments in the state.
The lifespan of over 60 percent of the embankments in Assam is over. It leads to frequent breaches of embankments after repair. The embankments breached more than 550 spots in the past ten years.
According to sources, the soft soil texture in the state leads to frequent breaches of embankments in the state. The undercurrent of rivers softens the soil beneath the embankments, leading to breaches. The shallow river beds lead to high water currents on either side of the rivers. Climate change also affects the course of the rivers.
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