GUWAHATI, Dec 30 - The dredger to be used by the State government to dredge the Brahmaputra riverbed as per recommendation of the report of the expert committee on �Fluvial morphology of river Brahmaputra, sediment management with possibility of dredging by adopting modern technology,� will start its journey from the United States through the sea route within the month of January next.
Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta said this while replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed in the Assembly today. For the purpose, the government has adopted a scheme worth Rs 18 crore and entrusted
M/s Cleantec Infra Private Ltd to procure the dredger.
Replying to another question by MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, the Minister said that in order to permanently settle the flood and erosion issue of Assam, the Central government will table the North East Water Management Authority (NEWMA) Draft Bill-2020 in the Parliament soon.
In connection with the Bill, the Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently sat with all the Chief Ministers of the region, with all of them endorsing the move and putting their opinions.
Mahanta said that with the formation of the NEWMA, the flood and erosion issues of Assam will be able to get the attention at the national platform. The move of the Central government will also help in proper utilisation of the Northeast�s water resources, he added.
The proposal to form the NEWMA was first mooted by a high-level committee headed by the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog in its draft report submitted to the government after studying the flood and erosion issues of the region.
The Minister said the government has requested the Centre to establish the headquarters of the proposed authority in Guwahati.
Mahanta further informed the House that till 2019, Assam lost 72,54,710 bighas of land in 23 districts due to erosion caused by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
Moreover, to help the flood-affected people of Assam, the State government has released a total of Rs 213,13,56,558 for the current financial year. Against the total amount, Rs 54,85,71,558 has been released for rehabilitation grant of flood, Rs 154,59,85,000 for gratuitous relief and Rs 3,68,00,000 as ex gratia.
The government is also working on a long-term scheme to address the water-logging problem at the LGBI Airport and its nearby places. For this purpose, a survey is under way.