Bethukandi dyke protection must to save Silchar: Jayanta Malla Baruah

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: A good number of people in Silchar were still crying for drinking water. There was no electricity for last eleven days in various inundated localities. In this backdrop, blame game in both administrative and political arenas was being stirred up. Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli while visiting the site of Bethukandi dyke, which was damaged by alleged miscreants, lambasted the Irrigation Executive Engineer. The dyke was sanctioned in 2014 under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and the work was started in 2016. In last six years only 40 per cent work was complete as Goswami told this correspondent that the contractor stopped the work as his payment was not released. The dyke was damaged by miscreants on May 22 and the Water Resources department officials in particular and district administration in general were aware of it. But no restoration work was immediately started and the mid-June heavy shower caused the deluge.

PHE Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Thursday visited the site where the Water Resources department had been working day and night to erect some protection with geo bags. Baruah admitted that the current restoration work was temporary with the sole motive was to protect further inundation during this monsoon. He categorically said that erring officials as well as the miscreants who had damaged the dyke would be dealt firmly.

Meanwhile, Jayanta Malla Baruah, who had been staying here for last three days to monitor flood situation, held a review meeting with the concerned line departmental officials of the district at the conference hall of the Cachar's Deputy Commissioner's office here on Thursday.

Barua was briefed about the flood prevention measures taken in the urban and rural areas, distribution of relief items, repairing works being conducted in the Bethukandi dyke and overall arrangements for disposal of sewage in the urban areas including healthcare measures in the 28 wards of the city, current food stockpiles in the district, measures taken on them were also discussed in detail.

Minister Baruah was also made aware about the status update of repairing works of dyke in Bethukandi where geo bags would be installed which in turn would help subside the water level in that area in the next 4-5 days.

During the meeting, Deputy Secretary (GAD) Randeep Dam informed that the distribution of relief items in the 28 wards of the city is going on in full swing. Also in that meeting, the minister was told that drainage work of inundated flood water with the help of pumps in the wards 1 to 4 in the city is going on along with areas such as Bilpar, Subhash Nagar, Ambicapatty, Ashram road, Vivekananda road, etc. The minister said that the work could be expedited with the help of some more pumps, technical assistance, work plan, etc.

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