Historical embankment faces threat from Brahmaputra floods

NORTH GUWAHATI, July 6? Due to incessant heavy downpours during the past few weeks, there has been a rise in flood waters along the 4.5-km-long historical embankment stretching from the foothills of Monikarneswar to the Dirgheswari pedestals, thereby endangering the lives and properties of the adjacent villages like Rongmahal, Bamunigaon, Fulung, Chandra, Borbaka, etc. Not only that, the entire North Kamrup would also be affected if there occurs any damage to the time-worn ?great royal embankment?. The prestigious IIT campus, bottling plant, Brahmaputra Hydraulic Research Centre, several industries, business centres, etc, would be washed away. In the historically renowned ?Kanai Barashiboa rock?, there are three inscriptions. The No 2 and No 3 inscriptions describe how the ?garah? was built by Ahom King Chakradhwas Singha during 1587 to 1589 to prevent the state from Mughal aggression. This shows that the embankment is about 335 years old. Despite public resentment and appeal since the past few years, the government has not taken any permanent and broadbased project to save the rampart from flood havoc and erosion. The previous Flood Control Minister Sri Bharat Narah was said to have released an amount of Rs 9 lakh for major repair of the ?garah?. But due to reasons best known to the concerned authorities, the repair works remained incomplete and uncared for. If the ?garal? is not improved to the desired level under a joint scheme sponsored by both State and Central governments, then the much quoted prophecy written in ?aadijamal scripture? that the cursed Puspabhadra rivulet would awaken and the Hajo area would be on the south bank of the river Brahmaputra (that means the entire North Kamrup area would be washed away by the Brahmaputra) may come true indeed!