NALBARI, Jan 18 � The people of greater Adabari areas in Nalbari district have asked the Water Resources Department to take up immediate anti-erosion measures at the downstream of the Pagladiya river at Saikiapara village.
The erosion on the right bank upstream of Saikiapara is posing serious threat to the historic Bagheswari Devalaya of Adabari village. In response to the public demand, the Mukalmua subdivisional office of the Water Resources Department executed an anti-erosion scheme under the flood management programme only to save the Devalaya. The department adopted four anti-erosion schemes at Karia, Hanapara, Sutarkuchi and Saikiapara at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore.
The Saikiapara anti-erosion scheme where the department carried out 300-metre boulder pitching covering iron net, succeeded to divert the flow of the river up to 100 metres. The heavy silt deposition has also threatened the Devalaya and the residents of the locality.
The residents of the locality, however, alleged that the department has not taken any steps to prevent the ongoing erosion downstream. As a result, about 20 families have been compelled to shift their residences. They demanded the authority concerned to extend the anti-erosion project of Saikiapara to another 300 metres towards the downstream.
When contacted, the SDO of the department Pratul Patowary said that he has informed the higher authority about the large-scale erosion downstream of Saikiapara. He hoped that the department would soon extend the project at Saikiapara.
