NORTH LAKHIMPUR, May 22 - Overflowing waters of the Ranganadi river have inundated several villages in Lakhimpur district, as the North East Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO) released the gate of its dam of the 405 MW Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant upstream in Yazali inside Arunachal Pradesh, 90 km from here.
The overflowing Ranganadi submerged many villages in Rangajan-Borbeel of Chaboti Gaon Panchayat under North Lakhimpur Revenue Circle. The river, which has been in spate since Thursday night, touched the chang ghars (raised houses) of the villages, even as the roads and open areas were flooded.
The rising waters of the Ranganadi created panic among the villagers in the riverine areas downstream on Friday morning.
Flash floods caused by the Ranganadi swept away a bamboo bridge in Kharkati-Kadamiyal area of Lakhimpur district. The bridge connected Panigaon, Kharkati, Ahomoni, and Mirigaon Road at Phatasutighat and Bihpuria.
NEEPCO allegedly released the gate No. 5 of its dam of the 405 MW Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant at Yazali inside Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday night, but the district administration in North Lakhimpur received communication from NEEPCO only on Friday morning.
The District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), Lakhimpur informed all the heads of the departments of the district about the release of dam water at 3,900 mm at 7 am on Friday and at 4,000 mm at 7.30 am, and to prepare Situation Reports by the Bihpuria and North Lakhimpur Revenue Circles.
The lat mandals and gaonburhas of these two revenue circles were also alerted by the district administration after receiving the information from NEEPCO.
It may be mentioned here that flash floods caused by the water released from the dam over the Ranganadi river at Yazali in Arunachal Pradesh has been affecting the lives of the people living downstream in Lakhimpur district.
In 2008, dam water released downstream of the Ranganadi river breached the left embankment at Bogoleejan and NH-15 at Ganesh Mandir in North Lakhimpur causing a deluge in the entire area. In 2017, dam water flowing downstream breached the left embankment of the river again in Bogoleejan and the right embankment at Aamtola further downstream.
