HT Correspondent

TEZPUR, June 7: State water resources minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday took stock of the erosion caused by the Brahmaputra on the north bank from Jahajghat in Tezpur to Bhorasingari near Goruduba under Thelamara Circle travelling the entire stretch in a boat.

Hazarika visited Depota outfall, Jharoni, Tinikhoria, Gabharu outfall, Kheroni, Teliagaon, Bhorasingari before alighting at Goruduba under Thelamara revenue circle.

During his inspection trip he was accompanied by Tezpur MP Pallab Lochan Das, Borsola MLA Ganesh Limboo, Sonitpur deputy commissioner Bhupesh Chandra Das, superintending engineer of Nagaon WR Division, J Dey, executive engineer of Tezpur WR Division, Khanindra Barman, SDO Bhagaban Pator and other senior officials.

Hazarika inspected the ongoing temporary protection works currently underway at various locations and directed the water resources department officials to ramp up the erosion control works along this stretch as works of permanent nature cannot be taken up at the moment due to rising waters of the river Brahmaputra.

The minister said, once the flood season is over, a project to build a new embankment along with protection works in the Singri-Basasimalu area under Borchalla constituency would be taken up in order to prevent the area from getting inundated by floods every year.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to seek a permanent solution to the problem of floods faced by Assam every year, the minister said that a state-level consultation with all senior officials of the water resources department would be held later this year, after the flood season is over, which will try to chart a route map seeking solution to the annual flood problem of the state.

He also directed all water resources officials to stay at the respective stations during the crucial flood season and monitor the implementation of all erosion control and embankment repair works with utmost sincerity and ensure good quality of work so as to offer some respite to the people of the area.