GUWAHATI, March 31 � The Dibang �Dibru Nala Project of the Brahmaputra Board is partially successful in containing the flood and erosion situation in Dhola-Hatighuli area. Though the main stream of the Dibang has been diverted to its original course, a small flow of the river still continues along the avulsed channel by outflanking and damaging the tie-bund at a few locations.
Informing the above, vice-chairman of the Brahmaputra Board Y Abdul Basheer told The Assam Tribune that a work has been approved and it is under process of tendering. This work called Phase-IV of the project, will also require some more follow up works.
Members of the Standing Committee of experts on Majuli went to Dhola in November last year. Earlier, the full standing committee had visited the Dhola-Hatighuli area in November 2010. The full standing committee had recommended some works like full plugging of the avulsed channel and said that such steps should be taken up only after completion of the Phase-IV works. The Phase �IV of the project is scheduled to be completed by March 2013.
Barak Valley projects: The Harang Drainage Development Scheme has been completed in the Barak Valley and it has benefited a drainage congested area of 118.5 square (sq) kilometers (kms) in Cachar district. At present the Amjur Drainage Development Scheme is going on in Cachar district. It is expected to be completed by March 2014. The benefited area will be 72 sq kms. The Barak bank failure due to sloughing has been taken care of under the drainage development schemes like the Larsing Drainage Development Scheme, which are under preparation, Basheer said.
Barbhag Drainage Scheme: The first two parts of the Barbhag Drainage Development Scheme worth Rs 11.23 crore, which was initially a Rs 7.23 crore project, were completed in May 2008. The Board undertook the project in 2006 with three components of raising and strengthening of embankment, re-sectioning of Suthajan channel and construction of a sluice on the Suthajan channel, upstream of its confluence with the Baralia River.
Though tenders to undertake the next part of the project were floated on several occasions, responses from the contractors were either poor or they quoted much higher rates. Now the estimate for the work has been revised as per the current schedule of rates and the revised cost has now gone up to Rs 13.9 crore. The Board expects the work to be completed by March 2014, said Basheer.
