Assam Cabinet meet at Panery Tea Estate today in Udalguri district

CM to lay foundation of schemes in Udalguri

OUR CORRESPONDENT

MANGALDAI: For the first time in history, Udalguri district is ready to host a meeting of the State Cabinet of Assam Ministry scheduled at Panery Tea Estate on April 2. The Udalguri district administration has made all arrangements to host the State Cabinet at Mangaldai Polo Gymkhana Club at Tea giant McLeod Russel-owned Panery Tea Garden which is one of the oldest clubs in the state founded during the British era. Chief Minister Dr. Sarma will lay the foundation of several schemes. His visit has brought a new ray of hope for the flood-affected villagers of both the district of Udalguri and Darrang.

Mention may be made here that both the rivers Kulsi and Nonoi flowing down from their source in the Himalayan ranges in Bhutan touched the Indian border at Jwalimukh adjacent to the Khalingdwar Reserve Forest in Udalguri district. Though both the rivers have been flowing differently with their own stream to be merged with the river Brahmaputra in Darrang district traversing through the areas of Udalguri, Panery, Kalaigaon, Mangaldai, and Sipajhar LAC of Udalguri and Darrang district, but in 1988 the stream of turbulent river Nonoi merging with river Kulsi created an unprecedented devastating flood in Darrang district submerging even the Mangaldai town under flood water.

Even after witnessing this unprecedented flood havoc, the government and the Water Resources Department miserably failed to take initiative for the construction of the bund at Jwalimukh along the Indo-Bhutan border in the Udalguri district despite of repeated appeals made by a cross-section of the villagers of both the district. Finding no alternative, a large number of villagers in 1988 constructed a boulder dam at their own expense and labour spending their time for several days. The Water Resources Department in the same year had constructed the boulder bund at Rs 98 lakhs much to the great relief of the people of both districts.

However, due to the indifferent attitude of the Water Resource Department to undertake regular monitoring and maintenance, the bund again got breached in 1995 and the department took a long period of three years for its repair in 1998. Unfortunately, the boulder bund at Jwalimukh again got breached in 2019. This had created unprecedented flood havoc again in the areas of Kalaigaon, Sipajhar and Mangaldai LAC areas causing the closure of the stretch of NH 15 at Pipira Dokan near Mangaldai for more than ten days. Chief Minister Dr. Sarma will lay the foundation of the Rs 16 crores Jwalimukh Bund in a public meeting at Tangla on Monday.

Chief Minister Dr. Sarma will arrive at Bormukali along the Indo-Bhutan border by helicopter to inaugurate the Borola Multi Village Piped Water Supply Scheme at 9.30 am. He will land at Rowta at 10.15 am to unveil the statue of ‘Asom Gaurav’ award recipient Kalpana Boro. On his return flight to Tangla, he will attend a public function at Tangla HS School and lay the foundation of Tangla Water Supply Scheme under AMRUT, Building of Tangla HS School, Jwalimukh Bund, 100-bedded Tangla Hospital and the Chilarai Bhavan while he will inaugurate the Inspection Bungalow of PWD at Tangla. He will also lay the foundation of Ekalavya Residential School, 14 PWD roads, the office-cum-residence of the Sub Divisional Police Officer and the Police Outpost building at Bhergaon.

Chief Minister will also address a public meeting at Dimakuchi Stadium at 2.45 pm and lay the foundation of Dimakuchi Stadium, Nonoi Multi Village Piped Water Supply Scheme, three Tea Garden Model Schools, 20 Elephant Watch Towers, cluster development programme, 12 Jagannath Community hall-cum-training centres and will inaugurate the Dimakuchi Model Hospital. He will also pay a visit to Borengajuli Satra at Dimakuchi. In the evening he will take part in the Cabinet meeting at Mangaldai Polo Gymkhana Club at Panery Tea Estate and will then spend the night in the tea estate.

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