Guwahati : The second wave of devastating flood has breached 26 river embankments and dyes in 15 districts of Assam causing heavy damages of properties and immense hardship to people.
The current flood has claimed 73 lives in the state so and affecting over 33.45 lakh people.
Assam Water Resources minister Keshab Mahanta on Monday said that, among the breaches, 10 breaches in embankments alone in Majuli district, while 3 in Karimganj, 2 each in Lakhimpur and Nagaon and 1 each in Hailakandi, Udalguri, Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Morigaon, Dhemaji and Darrang district.
The Assam minister informed that, the state Water Resources department had already repaired five embankments, which were breached in the first wave of devastating flood.
Keshab Mahanta further said that, he had already ordered two inquiries into the breach of a particular embankment at Hatimurah in Kaliabor assembly constituency under middle Assam's Nagaon district.
"I have already ordered two inquiries into the breach and also wrote to the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, requesting him to initiate another high level probe. The breach occurred under mysterious circumstances. I think, it is a conspiracy behind the breach. No one being spared if he or they are found involvement into it. If any evidence against me is found, then i will resign," Keshab Mahanta said.
Earlier, Assam Congress unit president Ripun Bora and farmer leader Akhil Gogoi alleged that, the Assam minister had provided major works contract for repairing the Hatimurah embankment to his brother owned farm and an associate person.
The Assam minister had refuted all allegations made against him and said that, it is a baseless allegation.
"The repairing work of the 3.6 km long embankment cost of Rs 15 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh worth work contract awarded to a farm named M/S Madhab Enterprise. The Hatimurah embankment is one of the strong embankment in the state and it was constructed in 1973. It was found alright and strong enough by the inspection team of state Water Resources department on August 12 last, but is was breached on the night of the same day," Keshab Mahanta said.
The minister also said that, there are 70 numbers vulnerable points in the state and two flood warning system control rooms will set up in the state.
"Maximum embankments of the state constructed 3-4 decades ago have expired lifespan. Now we are going to construct these lifespan expired embankments cum road. For this, the Centre has given green signal. The state government will construct a embankment cum road as a pilot project soon," the Assam minister said.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
