JORHAT, Jan 23 � The embankment along river Bhogdoi at Salmora here has become a profit-making source for Jorhat district DRDA (District Rural Development Agency), North West Jorhat (Dhekorgorah) Development Block and No. 41 Madhya Garumora Gaon Panchayat as the portion of embankment in Salmora is washed away by flood of Bhogdoi every year.
In the name of repairing the embankment, several lakhs of rupees were sanctioned annually during the past few years. But no permanent solution of the problem was made by the concerned authority till date due to which the floods will surely wash away that part of embankment this year too during the rainy season.
This process made a section of officials of the concerned departments and office bearers of the panchayat wealthy, who wait for the opportunity to repair the embankment in the time of flood after it is washed away and more than ten villages remain underwater with several thousand villagers struggling to save their lives and property every year.
During 2009 � 10 sessions Rs 8.5 lakhs were sanctioned by DRDA and No 41 Madhya Garumora Gaon Panchayat was assigned to carry out the repair work in that portion. The office bearers of the panchayat failed to perform the assigned task the next flood washed away the whole portion once again. They claimed that 60 per cent of the repair work was done during that time.
The flood last time washed away the cultivation in hundreds of acres of land of the nearby villages. More than ten villages, including Sarbodoya Mahabidyalaya, Sarbodaya ME School, Salmara sub PHC, Salmora Sub veterinary centre and the weekly market there reeled under water for several days. In the course of time water level receded, but the vast cultivable land was covered by a thick layer of sand. Now it is quite impossible to carry on the cultivation works in those areas which gradually bearing a desert like look.
The communication in those villages has been disrupted as the portion of the embankment which the villagers used as their village road had been washed away by the flood. But the local MLA, officials of the development bank, local panchayat are still overlooking the matter.
On the other hand water resource minister Rajiv Lochan Pegu visited the area during the flood last time and assured the people to reconstruct the embankment from the Salmora Bridge to Gelabil along both sides of river Bhogdoi.
Though six months have already passed, no construction work has been started in the area. In such a situation, the resident of the whole area have almost lost faith in the government and the representatives of the people.
