HT Correspondent

Margherita, June 15: State water resources minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday visited the Udaipur Newargaon and Dibong villages located on the banks of river Tirap and Burhi- Dihing respectively.

 He was accompanied by Rameswar Teli, Member of Parliament and Bhaskar Sarmah, MLA during his visit in the sub-division.

While taking the stock of the prevailing situation, where soil erosion apparently would wash away portions of the habitable and cultivable land every year in the Newar Gaon, due to Tirap river, the cabinet minister asked the additional chief engineer, upper Assam zone, water resources department, Ivy Dasgupta and other officials of the department to install defectors in the necessary stretches of the river. He also stressed on the adoption of anti-erosion measures after proper survey of the area.

The minister also announced that the World Bank has sanctioned the embankment project on the banks of Burhi- Dihing river and probable roads on the same, in the vulnerable stretches of the river. The project might be flagged off in the month of December or January, he said.

As emergency measures he advised the water resources department to initiate a temporary anti- erosion task, so that no part of the land is eroded away during this season.

Hazarika, stated the government is keen on working on the long term projects which will be expressed in the coming times after proper deliberation with all agencies working on the flood and erosion issues in the state.