BARPETA, July 2 - Flood waters of Tihu, Burhadia and Kaldia rivers have created havoc in a number of villages in Barpeta district for the last four days. The Burhadia river has washed away its embankment at Kalatali in the eastern part of the district and devastated the villages to the south.
Kalatali village under Sarthebari Revenue Circle has been the worst affected as the water of the river has been flowing through the village for the last four days. All the residential areas of the village have been submerged. There is no road to be said as most of them have been washed away by the strong current of flood.
Paddy seedlings are completely under water pushing the lives of the agriculture-dependent villagers into uncertainty. Orchards have been uprooted and vegetable farming has also suffered its worst setback.
Electricity has been disconnected in the village since June 29 as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident relating to electrocution. As the supply of kerosene is limited and many people especially those without BPL cards have no access to kerosine, they are spending a miserable life. Even many families have given up the use of lanterns as they are accustomed to chargeable lights available in the market.
Batia, Kalatali, Bathanartari, Gomura, Karakuchi, Kaskuri Sarthebari town and Parahkuchi have also been severely affected by the devastating flood. People of several villages are marooned under flood waters for three to four days.
Tihu river has also spread its fury over the villages under Paka Mouza. Neularbhitha, Kurihar Pam, Nasatra, Bilpar, Bamundi areas of the district have been submerged by the flood of Tihu river. Apart from agricultural areas, residential complexes have also been seen under water.
The entire Kawaimari Reserve area and Bhaktardaba area have been affected by floods flowing through the broken embankment of Kaldia river.
Though the devastating flood has entered its fourth day, the respective departments of the government have not undertaken any step to mitigate the woes of the suffering people. Till now, no elected representative has visited the spot which has added salt to the injury.
ANN Service from Tihu adds: The recent floods caused by the Tihu, Buradia and Marapagaldia rivers under Tihu subdivision submerged many villages and destroyed a large number of standing crops.
In this connection, a team of student leaders from Tihu, Nalbari and Makhibaha under the leadership of Gunajyoti Pathak, president of the Nalbari Zila Students� Union, visited the breached embankment of the Marapagaldia river at Uttar Bali, the breached embankment of the Tihu river at Dahudi and the breached embankment of the Buradia river at Bhojkuchi to take stock of the situation.
They demanded renovation of the damaged embankments and sought flood relief from the authority concerned as early as possible, considering the gravity of the situation.
Student leaders like Pranjal Deka, Dhirumani Kashyap, Mridul Barman, Bhaskardip Barman and a few others were part of the team.
On the other hand, Flood Control Minister Kesab Mahanta visited the flood-affected areas of Nalbari district and observed the grave situation there. He was accompanied by Maneswar Brahma, Barama LAC MLA.
Till the filing of this report, the flood situation at Chamata (Hirapara) continues to be grave. A large number of houses are still under water and many people remain homeless there. The Kaithalkuchi-Chamata PWD road is also still under water.
