Monday, June 14, 2010

Govt to work for permanent solution

Staff reporter
GUWAHATI, June 13 – The State Government is for a permanent solution to the problems of flood and erosion in the State, instead of the ad-hoc measures to tackle the twin problems. With such an approach, the State Government has moved the Central Government and the Planning Commission as well.

Disclosing this at a press conference here, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that it is the considered opinion of the StateGovernment that the Brahmaputra needs to be channelised and the land eroded by it needed to be reclaimed.

The river is as wide as 22 km at places and it has so far eroded around 4 lakh hectares of land, including farmland and residential areas.

The State Government has decided to prepare a concept paper for a permanent solution to the problems caused by the Brahmaputra. For the purpose, it has been in touch with the international, national and local experts.

A group of experts that comprise the European Commission expert Prof Wolfgang Slugel and the IIT, Roorkee expert Prof Nayan Sarma of Assam origin, besides the experts of other European universities etc, is sought to be made a nodal group in this regard, he said.

Flood and erosion have proved to be the two major problems of the State since 1950. It is the ardent endeavour of the State Government to seek a solution that will take the State back to its pre-1950 days so far as flood and erosion are concerned.

The State has 51 breaches caused by the rivers in their embankments last year to be repaired fully at the time of advent of flood this year. Around 5.62 lakh people of the seven districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Jorhat (Majuli Sub-division), Darrang, Morigaon, Cachar and Karimganj have already experienced flood. The worst hit among these districts is Karimganj. TheGovernment has set up 300 relief camps, said the Chief Minister.

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