Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma reviews flood situation at Bajali after the recent flood

A Correspondent

PATHSALA: State Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday visited the flood-ravaged Bajali subdivision and took stock of the situation after the recent flood. He admitted that the Bajali subdivisional civil hospital had been damaged by the flood. He said that the government was planning to re-construct the hospital and already Rs 16 crore had been sanctioned and the tendering process was also over. He thanked the hospital staff and local people, who along with the SDRF rescue team, evacuated the patients of the hospital to another place- Marwari Dharamsala. The patients are still in a temporary place.

Though the people of the area who were taking shelter in the shelter camps have started to return back to their homes. When asked about the plan of the government to check the menace of hydroelectric power generating dams, the minister said that the government had no plans to control such dams as Bhutan was another country. “But we have to think about a new plan to manage the released water by linking rivers such Aii, Beki and Pahumara and share the water and construct high and strong embankments scientifically,” he said.

Himanta assured that the government would do its best to provide relief and rehabilitation to the flood-affected people. He also appealed to the people to bring any irregularity to the notice of the government authority so that affected people were not deprived.

Regarding the dilapidated condition of the National Highway, he said that NHAI was not interested to sanction money for the maintenance of the road as there was no toll gate. He said that matter would be discussed in the Assembly session. He then visited Gohinpara where the embankment of River Pahumara had been breached. The minister also visited worst-affected areas like Maharni and Kalahguri and the Nareswar Rana HS School flood relief camp.

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