GUWAHATI, Dec 20 ? The competence of the British engineers was such that the river Kopili remained a friend for the people of the two districts of Morigaon and Nagaon for about a century despite human interference in the realm of nature. But the expertise of the engineers under the post-independent system has reduced the symbiotic relation between the river and the people into a myth.
This will be preserved by the people in their memories in the shapes of lullabies and folk-tales. This is the feeling dominating the popular psyche in these two districts nowadays. With the worst-ever havoc of floods, the river and like the Killing, exposed this time the quality of expertise of our engineers and their commitment to the people.
The railway bridge under construction over the Kopili at Naldhara and the NEEPCO hydel project dam over the river created unprecedented floods this year in Nagaon and Morigaon districts. This was the observation of Tulsi Bordoloi, a teacher in the Jagiroad College and also a leading Tiwa litterateur.
Meanwhile, a public meeting held at Naldhara village on Sunday decided to resist the ongoing construction activities of the new railway bridge over the Kopili. Unless the design of the bridge is modified to allow the river carry its summer discharge load unhindered, the people of Morigaon and Nagaon districts will be opposing the bridge, the meeting observed. The bridge is being constructed at the village, about 80 km south east of the city.
The present design of the bridge has constricted the channel of the river. This led to indescribable miseries to the people of a vast area measuring about 123 km by 60 km, the participants of the meeting alleged. On physical verification it was found that the new bridge ? with its guide bunds ? has constricted about 330 feet (110 metres) of the river channel.
The meeting also decided to move the Human Rights Commission alleging that the Railways has infringed upon the rights to life and livelihood of the people of these two districts. It also decided to place the case before Railway and other Union Ministries, like the Water Resources and Forest and Environment Ministries, which are related with the issue.
If these steps fail to succeed in modifying the bridge design, the people will seek judicial intervention into the matter. An action committee to lead the people in all efforts to free the river from the man-made constrictions was also formed at the meeting. Ramesh Swargiary, a teacher in the Bamphor Belguri High School, was made its convenor.
City-based Mushroom Development Foundation, a non-profit organisation, engaged in developing mushroom farmers and their areas, organised the meeting. It was presided over by Joyram Deuri, president of the Gobha Gaon Panchayat.
Several speakers including Colonel Prafulla Choudhury, a prominent campaigner against the city?s flash flood hazard; Narayan Radu Kakati, Chairman, Tiwa Autonomous Council; Brajen Borthakur, a retired State Bank of India officer; Bishnu Upadhyaya, teacher, Morigaon Ghanakanta Barua College and Dhiren Barua, president, Save Guwahati Build Guwahati, besides Tulsi Bordoloi, addressed the meeting.
Tulsi Bordoloi alleged that the railway authorities did not pay any heed to the opposition of the local people towards the constricting structures on the river bed. Rather, the argument of the railway authorities was such that the NEEPCO hydel project dam in the Karbi Anglong hills would take care of the summer water load of the river.
But, the Railways? imprudence made the people ? particularly the farmers of the two districts ? face an unprecedented situation of the floodwaters which took nearly two months to recede, Bordoloi said. He also alleged that such indifference of the Railways had thrown out of their employment the majority of the people of these two districts. Without a scheme from the authorities they are now being reduced to beggary, Bordoloi alleged.
Joyram Deuri had one more point to add to what Bordoloi said on the indifference of the Railways towards the popular apprehensions. Railway officials argued that the Jagibhakat-Morigaon Bridge was also not long and it also constricted the river channel. But that has not caused any serious problem, the railway officials told the local people. But by saying so these Railway officials were ignoring the fact that the Jagibhakat-Morigaon Bridge had been leading to the inundation of the Morigaon PWD Road, said Deuri.
According to Narayan Radu Kakati, three waves of Kopilli floods hit the people of Morigaon and Nagaon this year. Railway engineers failed to acknowledge certain important aspects concerning the Kopili. About one kilometer upstream of the Naldhara Bridge, the Killing? the most turbulent rivulet in Morigaon district ? has joined the Kopili. Near Naldhara, the water from the Umtru hydel project on the Borapani also reaches the Kopilli.
But these facts have been ignored by those who designed the new bridge over the river at Naldhara. The British engineers were not causal to such facts relating to the rivers. The old railway bridge built by the British engineers over the river at Naldhara is not creating any problem for the people of the two districts, Kakati said.
Prem Sarma, a member and an employee as well of the Sitajakhala Diary Farmers? Cooperative Society, said that floodwaters breached the right embankment on the Killing at six places near Amlighat, about 11 km east of Jagiroad. The devastation ruined hundreds of indigenous families.
But the post-floods rehabilitation programme in the desired extent is lacking, said another of his fellow member of the Cooperative Society. The members of the Society, prominent among the dairy farmers? cooperative in the State, had to face a heavy loss due to the floods.