Five engineers deputed to rebuild washed-out embankment in Tripura’s Belonia

Agartala, April 20: Public Works Department Secretary Kiran Gitte, on Sunday, assured that as many as five engineers would be deputed to Belonia subdivision in South Tripura district for restoration of the flood protection embankment washed away in August 2024 floods.

The development came a day after, residents of five Panchayats of the Belonia subdivision raised concerns that the villages had been reeling under serious threat of floods with the onset of the monsoon season.

The residents of the villages also flagged their concerns over the Bangladesh government’s move to heighten the embankments in the banks of river Muhuri. The Bangladesh authorities reportedly ramped up construction in their side ahead of the monsoon.

Speaking to the press after a review visit, PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte said, ““People should not panic. The department has decided to send five engineers in deputation to strengthen the embankments in our side. We will ensure that by the month of the June, the work is completed. We need cooperation from all the people for speedy completion of the work.”

He further informed that as many as 43 locations, where flood protection embankments are being built, have been identified and concerned departments had been working in war footing to completed them on time.

“I have reviewed the situation in Belonia. The embankments here had been damaged due to the floods that occurred in the month of August. Entire South Tripura was worst affected due to the floods and parts of the embankments had been washed away,” said Gitte.

Accompanying Gitte during the visit were BSF Tripura Frontier Inspector General Ashwani Kumar Sharma, South Tripura District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, and officials from the Water Resources and Public Works departments.

Earlier, panic gripped four panchayats in South Tripura—Netaji Subhash Chandra Nagar, Ishan Chandra Nagar, North Belonia, and Ballamukha—after Bangladesh raised embankments near the Indo-Bangla border, allegedly violating the Indira-Mujib treaty.

The embankments, 15–20 feet high and barely 10–15 yards from the border, block natural drainage, threatening over 500 families near the Muhuri River.

Locals fear severe flooding during the monsoon, recalling the devastating 2024 floods. The construction lies within the no-man's buffer zone, breaching the 150-yard no-construction protocol.

Despite rising concerns, Indian authorities have issued no response, while Bangladesh continues construction unhindered. Villagers demand urgent action to prevent disaster.