Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today distributed appointment letters to 65 assistant engineers (civil) of Water Resource Department at a programme held at Assam Water Research and Management Institute at Basistha in the city. Saying that every river in Assam must be studied scientifically to find permanent solution to the perennial problems of flood and erosion; Sonowal called on the new appointees of Water Resource Department to utilize their fresh ideas and innovative thinking to solve the
problems caused by flood and erosion in the state. The embankments built long ago have become weak and they must be strengthened to give protection to 1.25 lakh farmers in the state from flood and erosion, he opined.
Referring to bad reputation of the department during the tenure of the previous governments, Sonowal said that the present state government has been endeavoring to change the image of the department while laying emphasis on the scientific repairing of embankments as works had started in October itself. There is need to study the havoc caused in lower Assam by the floodwaters of 12 rivers coming down from Bhutan and the newly appointed assistant engineers must work towards finding solutions of recurring floods through hardwork and diligence, he said.
The Chief Minister also said that repair works of many embankments have been undertaken during the rainy season this year and the embankment breached by Gai River was repaired against utmost challenge within one week. He also stressed on the importance of strengthening the embankments to safeguard the rural economy of the state.
Saying that a total of 5000 kms of embankments in the state were requested to be upgraded as road cum embankments during the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi held today and Prime Minister had taken steps to solve the problems of flood and erosion afflicting Assam with a perspective of national importance, he informed.
Additional Chief Secretary in-charge of Water Resource Department Syedain Abbasi gave the welcome address in the programme where Water Resource Minister Keshab Mahanta also spoke.
