GUWAHATI, July 5 � The false rain alert sounded by the State government in four districts of the State today drew flak from the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) which blamed the goof up on the part of State�s Water Resource Department and criticized it for an absolute failure in performing its duties properly.
Addressing the media here, AJYCP president Manoj Baruah alleged that the entire exercise was an attempt to cover up the department�s inefficiency to solve the issues related to flood and erosion and total failure in repairing the embankments.
�We don�t see any reason behind such a gaffe by the Chief Minister�s Office except for deviating attention from some of the larger issues like the havoc wrecked by the floods in State. As per our information, the alert was sounded on the basis of the report presented by Additional Chief Secretary of the Water Resource Department of Assam Jitesh Khosla,� he said.
�The news of whopping 488 mm rainfall was enough to create panic among people when the situation in Uttarakhand is still making headlines,� he added.
Attacking the State government on the issues of worn out embankments in the entire State, the youth body demanded a Whitepaper from the State government having the details of all the re-construction and strengthening work taken up by the department concerned till date, including the estimate of the sum allocated by the Union and the State governments for this purpose.
It would also launch a movement in the State with a signature campaign on the issue on July 8 and protest demonstrations in the offices of Water Resource Department throughout the State on July 9.
�Of the 423 embankments in the State, 295 have outlived their utility. The Chief Minister himself informed the Centre in 2011 that 90 per cent of the embankments in Assam have crossed their life span,� Baruah said.
�It�s so strange that the Government clears up the schemes of embankment repair and reconstruction just ahead of the rains,� he alleged.
The Parishad further said that funds are allocated for this purpose under various schemes of the State and the Union government, but it is not utilized properly due to the corruption and negligence of the department concerned.
