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Rs 600 crore not adequate: AASU

By STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 16 � The All Assam Students� Union (AASU) today alleged that the budgetary allocation of Rs 600 crore for strengthening the embankments of the State is too little an amount to repair and reconstruct the embankments throughout the State, disclosing the State Government�s apathy towards flood and erosion problems of Assam.

The student body would carry out a statewide protest against the government�s failure to declare flood and erosion of Assam as national problems, on March 22 in front of the district offices of State Water Resource Department.

Addressing a press conference here, the office-bearers of AASU produced the photographs of 41 embankments of Brahmaputra and Barak valleys, which are in a dilapidated state now.

�In its budget, the State Government has allocated Rs 600-crore for strengthening those embankments, which are more than 30 years old. However, it is not clearly stated whether the government would repair or re-construct the old embankments. Since many such dykes have crossed their life span, the budgetary provision seems too inadequate to solve the problem,� AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya said.

�AASU collected the photographic evidenced of 41 dilapidated embankments in one week�s time and more such photographs can be produced if need be. Now, it is time for the government to take proper steps to solve the problem,� added AASU president Shankar Prasad Roy.

The student body also asked the government to take steps for protecting Majuli.

�During the tripartite talk between the Union and State governments and the student body, it was announced that flood and erosion would be declared as national problems, but later on, no step was taken to fulfill the promise,� added Bhattacharyya.

AASU also said that a review of the technology adopted for embankment construction should be done and best practices of the field should be adopted so that public money is not wasted.

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