Panic grips Nagaon as Hatimura Dyke at Kaliabar breaches

RAHA, July 2: The rising waters of the Brahmaputra on Tuesday morning breached the year-old Hatimura dyke, allowing its water to flow into its tributary Kolong, resulting in severe inundation in several places in Kaliabar and adjoining areas.

As per information received, most parts of Kaliabar and Jakhalabandha, including Ramananda Goswami High School, Jakhalabandha Bazar, the office of the Lok Nirmarn department located at Jakhalabandha, Ayush Public School, Sensua village, Devar Satra, Dhekial Miri Bheti, Barbhakati, and Dulal village, were submerged. The state highway that runs from Silghat to Hospital Chariali was submerged in several places.

More than 50 revenue villages of Kaliabar subdivision were inundated and over 30,000 families were affected after the Hatimura dyke was breached. A large number of flood-affected people are taking shelter on high lands and at Jakhalabandha Higher Secondary School and Kaliabar Press Club office.

The floodwaters of the Kolong also washed away one concrete bridge connecting Gumuthagaon-Samaguri Satra under Kaliabar subdivision.

The rising water level of the Kolong river also posed a serious threat to Nagaon town and its adjoining areas.

Minister Keshab Mahanta and Nagaon district commissioner Narendra Kumar Shah rushed to the site immediately after the dyke breach was reported. "The local administration, NDRF, and SDRF are ready to face any situation that might arise," a source close to the district administration said.

Locals of the area have criticized the State Water Resources Department and the construction agency entrusted with the sluice gate construction works at Hatimura for poor quality work and reportedly held them responsible for the breached dyke.

The Hatimura dyke, separating the Kolong from the Brahmaputra, was built in 1971 with central government aid after devastating floods inundated most parts of Nagaon district in 1969. The then Assam government had constituted a commission in 1970 to find a way of preventing the large agricultural belts from future floods.

The 110 km long Kolong river originates in Kaliabar and merges with the Brahmaputra at Kajalimukh area in Morigaon district. It flows through the heart of Nagaon town.