Assam: Brahmaputra Board to implement Rs 207 crore projects for Majuli

Brahmaputra Board Chairman Sanjay Kundu informed it to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during a discussion held at Assam Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday.

Taking a strong view of the performance of the Board, the Assam CM stated that due to absence of Board officials in the field, anti-erosion and flood protection works carried out in Majuli were severely affected.

Further adding that unless a permanent office of the Board is set up in Majuli, a sense of alienation would always be there in the minds of the people.

Sonowal asked the Board to set up a permanent complex which will house an office, a godown and a guest house so that officials could stay in Majuli and execute their work.

The Assam CM also requested the Chairman of the Board to employ local youth in the complex after empowering them with necessary skills.

Sonowal further telephonically directed the deputy commissioner, Majuli to allot 10 bigha land for setting up the complex.

Stating that any work implemented for anti-erosion and flood management will be successful only if the same is backed by proper survey, Sonowal directed the Brahmaputra Board officials to carry out an aerial survey for making a correct assessment of Majuli on April 9.

He also informed that the state Water Resources Department and officials of all concerned departments will accompany the Board officials in the survey.

Stating that lack of quality construction house and quality contractors adversely impact the implementation of construction projects in Assam, Sonowal advised the Board to engage only top class construction houses and contractors who have the capacity to carry out world class construction work.

Referring to the bleak past record of the Board, the Chief Minister said people of Assam and particularly those from Majuli are very dissatisfied with the functioning of the Brahmaputra Board.

He further urged the Board to ensure quality in their works to dispel its negative image from the minds of the people.

It is to be mentioned that the Board has been working to protect the island since 2004 from flood and erosion.

The island has been witnessing large scale erosion and floods since 1950, when an earthquake, measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale, changed the course of the Brahmaputra.

The board had been assigned with the task of working out projects to protect the island, keeping in view the magnitude of the destruction by the river.

TS Mehra, Commissioner, Brahmaputra & Barak, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Senior Joint Commissioner and Chief Engineer, Brahmaputra Board were also present in the discussion.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)