BISWANATH CHARIALI, July 3 - A major project called �Protection of Biswanath-Panpur, including areas of upstream Silamari and far downstream Bhumuraguri to Boragaon against erosion of River Brahmaputra� to protect lives and properties in an extensive area of Biswanath Chariali is being implemented in the southern part of the district headquarters of Biswanath district.
But local people alleged that the progress of the work is not satisfactory at all though the work started in February, 2015. The project involves protection works for a length of 6,000 metres between Bortilla and Sholmari village and execution of earth works for strengthening the existing embankment for a length of 7,280 metres with the erection of PSC porcupines at Biswanath Ghat. The contracts for the protection works were awarded to M/s SM Spinning Mills Pvt Ltd of Maharashtra for a length of 3,960 metres and JV Flexituff and Javed Ahmed, LLP, Biswanath Chariali, for a length of 3,640 metres. However, the progress of the work is stated to be very poor.
On the western side of the project, no protection works have been taken up till date where the distance between the bank and the embankment is very nominal and there is every possibility of danger during the flood season. Morever, the contractors concerned have not started any work at Silamari and Bhojmari areas till date, where they are required to carry out protection works for a length of 800 metres each. In addition, the supply of porcupines is not satisfactory and only a few contractors have allegedly supplied 50 per cent of their allotted works. On the other hand, though the geo-bags are stated to have been made in China, the relevant papers show that they have been indigenously built.
A team of representatives of Biswanath Chariali Nagarik Santha and Senior Citizens� Forum, including Apurba Das, Bidyut Sharma, Bijay Goswami, Karun Baruah, Khanin Saikia and Dilip Das, visited the dyke site recently and took stock of the progress of work. The team has urged the State Government to take necessary action for early completion of the works. Biswanath MLA Pramod Borthakur has also written to the Minister of Water Resources, Government of Assam, in this respect.
Biswanath DC Pallav Gopal Jha also visited the site recently and instructed the department concerned to complete the works at the earliest. Local people alleged that such delay in the execution of works has become an illicit source of income for some employees and contractors of the department due to which they delay the works intentionally.
