Assam: Poor Quality of Construction Leads to Protection Bundhs Collapse in Longa River

KOKRAJHAR: After exposition of defective and poor quality of works of concrete protection bundh in Longa River at Tuniadanga, Ramfalbil at a cost of Rs. 1.17 crore from the Water Resources department of BTC in The Sentinel, another technically defective and low quality of geo-bag, concrete, and porcupine protection works of Rs. 1.5 crore in lower Longa River at Nawarvita, Dotma in Kokrajhar district constructed under MLA Local Area Development Fund has come to light after it got eroded and washed away within six months. Both the protection bundhs in Ramfalbil and Dotma over the same river have been washed away or smashed in the recent wave of flooding within six months of construction due to poor quality work.

Local people of Nawarvita in Dotma told that the geo-bag and porcupine works for the protection of villages from erosion were inaugurated by the MLA of West Kokrajhar constituency, Rabiram Narzary, only on January 31. The cost of the construction of the protection of the Longa River was Rs. 1.5 crore, sanctioned from the Local Area Development Fund of the MLA, but within six months, the structures and porcupines have been washed and smashed in various portions, which proves the low quality of the work.

The villagers told that the River Longa caused massive erosion during the rainy season, and the houses of many families have been eroded, forcing them to shift to other areas. They also said the plot of land for a mosque and the village road were under the reeling erosion of the Longa River. They further alleged that the construction works for protection were too poor in quality, and nobody was there to check the quality of the works.

The same questions arose in the construction of the concrete structure of the Longa River at Tuniadanga village in Ramfalbil under Serfanguri police. The concrete bundh of Rs. 1.17 crore from the Water Resources Department, BTC, was completed only in January last year, but the concrete construction and porcupine works have been breached and collapsed due to alleged technical defects in anti-erosion concrete structures that caused floods in their village and adjacent areas, recently forcing the villagers to take shelter at Ramfalbil HS School.

The CEM of BTC Pramod Boro inaugurated the foundation stone of an anti-erosion concrete structure amounting to Rs. 1.17 crore at village Tuniadanga, but the foundation stone skipped the date and year of the foundation. Talking to this correspondent, villager Janak Adhikari said the concrete structure for protection of the river Longa was taken up by the Water Resources Department in 2018–19, but the construction was done in the 2023–24 financial year. He also said that the concrete anti-erosion bundh was completed only six months ago, but the bundh broke, which led to floods in the area.

Another villager, Gopal Adhikari, said the height of the anti-erosion bundh was too low to prevent the waters from flowing over it. He said there could have been some technical defects in the construction of the protection bundh and a possible compromise in the quality of the work for reasons best known to them. He also said the engineer of the concerned department should be held responsible for “defective” and “compromised” structures. It is seen that the protection of concrete bundh required more heights. No iron rod is used in the structure to protect the river, but only sand, gravel, and cement were used as a canal for agricultural land. This has proved how the concerned department is cheating the public with defective and inferior quality of work. Besides, the concrete porcupines on the river bank were seen as quite insufficient in two locations.

The government of BTC at that time empowered the District Commissioners of four districts of the council to look after the proposal of schemes, progress, and proper implementation of all projects under their respective jurisdictions, and the public representatives, VCDC and TCLCC chairmen, and officers of the concerned departments were also asked to monitor the proper implementation of schemes, but despite this fact, the protection bundhs and concrete structures got breached within six months of completion, which is a matter of concern and indicates compromise on the quality of works.

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