Disappointment increasing for no solution to Dhemaji flood problem
‘The ministers in Dispur should not just simply make an aerial survey of the district or watch the destruction on their television sets. They should take the trouble to visit the district to see the loss and sufferings of the people. With floods hitting the district each year, the district moves behind by many years so far as development is concerned’ By our Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, Oct 19: Devastating floods in Assam’s Dhemaji district have become an annual occurrence. There has been loss of life, property and agriculture on a large scale. The Dhemaji District Flood Problem Solution Demand Committee has demanded of the government to come up with scientific measures for a permanent solution to the problem. Talking to mediapersons in Guwahati today, Committee working president Tonkeshwar Deori and general secretary Muhi Borgohain said that disappointment among the people of the district for non-solution of the flood problem was piling up and it was about time that the government took measures to address the grievances of the people. Deori said, “For the past six decades Dhemaji district has seen floods that have wreaked havoc. All through these six decades the people have suffered to no end. They have been demanding for a permanent solution to this problem but all their desperate pleas have so far fallen upon the deaf ears of the government as neither the State Government nor the Union Ministry of Water Resources have adopted any scientific method to solve the flood problem. The former has taken up some small flood control schemes but these schemes have only aggravated the problem further. It is now or never. Steps have to be taken for a scientific solution to the problem or in the coming years Dhemaji district will see worse devastation.” “We have demanded that the State Water Resource Department, NF Railway and NHAI should conduct a joint survey in the district and come up with a scientific method to solve the problem. We also held a public meeting in the district to invite suggestions from the people. Former NEEPCO executive director Tarun Chandra Borgohain came up with meaningful suggestions. Few decisions were taken during the meeting and we will press the government to act on them,” said Muhi Borgohain. The Committee has suggested a study of the characters of all the rivers that flow through the district for which a river research centre and a soil testing centre should be set up in the district. There should be a topographical survey of the district and a Dhemaji district development map must be presented. Also, rivers in the district should be allowed to flow along their earlier course. The Committee also lamented the fact that while in other districts flood control measures were adopted as part of various projects funded by the Asian Development Bank in Dhemaji district, which had to bear the maximum devastation due to floods, this was not the case. “Does the State Government want to completely ignore the flood-ravaged district of Dhemaji? The ministers in Dispur should not just simply make an aerial survey of the district or watch the destruction on their television sets. They should take the trouble to visit the district to see the loss and sufferings of the people. With floods hitting the district each year, the district moves behind by many years so far as development is concerned. Hence an immediate and permanent solution to the problem is important,” said Borgohain. http://www.sentinelassam.com/ghy_city/story.php?sec=2&subsec=4&id=93527&dtP=2011-10-20&ppr=1#93527 (The Sentinel, 20.10.2011) _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
