GUWAHATI, June 27 – Floods have caused considerable damage in various parts of the State, and with the rainy season yet to reach its peak, there are fears that large tracts of cropland as well as settlements, and natural habitat are in a perilous situation. Reports coming in from different areas suggest that the lack of proper embankments, drainage system, and poor condition of infrastructure – roads and bridges in particular, have created a scenario where flood would cause widespread damage to life and property. People in those areas, which for a long time have experienced the fury of floods, are also questioning the readiness of emergency relief services.
Our Dergaon Correspondent reports from Kaziranga: The flood waters of the Brahmaputra have submerged parts of the Kaziranga National Park, as a result of which the wild animals of the National Park have been seriously threatened. Many animals have taken refuge in the higher tracts of the Karbi Hills, south of the Park. According to sources, the camps of Agaratali Range Mahpara, Maanglung, Moamari, Haatichora, and the camps of the Bagari Range, Bornalani, Sitalmari, Moufulam, along with a few others have been submerged by flood water. The range officer of the Agaratali Range informed this correspondent that due to erosion on this side of the Brahmaputra a large section of land has been washed away.
The deplorable state of the embankment of Dhansirimukh has also created threats to the park. The Director of the Park NK Basu and the DFO RK Das visited the site of erosion. This embankment has to be repaired on a priority basis to ensure that flood water do not cause further damage to the Park. To protect the animals fleeing from the floods water the Bokakhat subdivision administration has imposed Section 144 and also directed the forest officials to rescue the animals.
Our Sipajhar correspondent adds: Due to the non-construction of Rangamati-Kurua embankment at Sanoa, flood has become a perennial problem of the area in and around Sipajhar. The entire low-lying areas of the southern part of Sipajhar revenue circle have been submerged, and some parts of the Garukhuti-Ghorabandha PWD Road, which is the main link road to NH 52, is also under water. Flood waters have also damaged a large area of cropland. People of the region have strongly resented the non-completion of the Rangamati-Kurua embankment and the non-completion of the work of Pati Darrang drainage project, for which foundation stone was laid way back in 1999.