NEW DELHI, March 9 - The plan to upgrade the network of embankments in Assam is likely to be delayed as the Centre has asked the Government of Assam to submit a modified detailed project report based on the recommendations of model study of CWPRS, Pune, and mathematical study of IIT Guwahati, along with compliance of the observations of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
The Government of Assam has submitted a proposal for raising and strengthening of embankments on both sides of the Brahmaputra, under �Improvement of flood protection system along both banks of River Brahmaputra� at an estimated cost of Rs 4,454.09 crore to the CWC for techno-economic appraisal.
According to the State government, a total of 4,474.42 km of embankment was constructed, mostly during the Sixties. Of these, raising and strengthening of various embankments for a length of about 771.97 km have been completed by the Water Resources Department, Assam.
A mathematical model study of the Brahmaputra has been taken up by the Brahmaputra Board in collaboration with IIT Guwahati for long-term solution to the flood and erosion problems caused by the Brahmaputra. A long-term solution to floods in Assam is construction of large storage reservoirs on the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
An amount of Rs 1,307.07 crore was released in the XII Plan and a total of 141 schemes for Assam at a cost of Rs 2,383.11 crore, under the Flood Management Programme during XI and XII Plans, Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharti said in a Lok Sabha reply.
An amount of Rs 748.86 crore during XI Plan and Rs 64.89 crore during XII Plan has been released to Assam under Flood Management Programme, Bharti said in reply to a question by Sushmita Dev.
During the XII Plan, the Government of Assam has submitted a total of 137 project proposals costing Rs 11,740.18 crore for techno-economic appraisal. Of these, 59 project proposals, costing Rs 2,079.65 crore have been cleared, 74 schemes have been deleted, and two schemes are under examination with the CWC, while two schemes are pending with the State for compliance.
The Brahmaputra Board has taken up works for protection of Majuli Island from flood and erosion from River Brahmaputra, Phase-II and III during the year 2014-15 and 2015-16.
