Continual Rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh Creates Flood-like Situation in Itanagar Capital Region (ICR)

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Two days of incessant rainfall in the state has led to a major flood-like situation in Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) on Monday. While the major portion of National Highway-415 (Itanagar-Naharlagun) was washed off at D-Sector near here, many of the shopping complexes within ICR were filled with water, turning the entire place into mini ponds.

Public, in large, on social media condemned the highway authority and the State government over 'pathetic' quality of road and 'negligence' over proper drainage system in the highway. The culvert which was washed away creating a landslide near D-Sector due to rain has also damaged the private buildings down the area.

After receiving videos of landslides and water clogging in the highway, the highway officials inspected the damaged area.

Reacting to the damage of the highway by the rainfall near D-Sector here, Executive Engineer (Highway Division) Nani Tath said that the concerned contractor has to re-construct the damaged part if it is due to technical reasons. But if it is due to natural reasons, obviously the government will look into the matter, he added.

Stating the water clogging near Akashdeep shopping complex is a matter of debate and not to blame entirely to the highway authority, Tath added that the situation arose as the V-Mart near Akashdeep shopping complex is constructed above the main drainage system.

"There were also some probes in the culvert as some work was yet to be completed due to which the water came out to the main highway causing stagnation of water," he said.

Tath also said the areas damaged or clogged by water will be repaired as soon as possible.

Anguished over the damage of his building, one of the affected people blamed Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the highway authority. He said that his house was damaged due to the fall of the culvert from the highway and not because of rainfall.

He appealed to the concerned authority to compensate the owners of damaged buildings as early as possible. He said to construct the highway properly while taking time, rather than just to keep someone's promise.

Earlier, this morning many shopkeepers came out of the home despite the restriction on movement due to COVID-19 as their shops, mostly electronics, were filled with water damaging respective goods and products kept in the shop.

Meanwhile, ICR Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom inspecting the Akashdeep areas asked the highway executing agency authorities to repair the damaged portions and also make a list of people who have blocked the drainage in the V-mark area.

"The damage of highway and blocked drains is due to substandard quality of work and no proper research before executing the work," he said, adding that the public should cooperate with working engineers for a proper plan to overcome such situations.

Potom also warned the executing highway agency and the concerned engineers to avoid such negligence on work quality and said that a meeting will be called this evening to look into the matter.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the States of Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya were likely to experience heavy showers at isolated places from Sunday to Tuesday, while Arunachal Pradesh will witness isolated heavy rainfall on Monday.

In view of the predictions, the IMD issued a yellow watch over the entire northeast region from Sunday to Tuesday, with an advisory warning the public to be aware of the local weather.

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