AJYCP undertakes protest prog at Nimatighat

HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Oct 26: The Jorhat district unit of AJYCP on Wednesday staged a demonstration in front of the office of executive engineer, Water Resources department (Upper Assam Investigation division) here, to protest against alleged irregularities and embezzlement of government funds, while carrying out works to check erosion and protection from floods by the department at Nimatighat, on the Brahmaputra bank on the outskirts.
The protesters, accompanied by local people of Nimatighat, holding posters and banners, shouted slogans against the department and the government alleging malpractices and corruption while implementing various schemes and projects to tackle large-scale erosion by the river and flood protection works over the years.
They sought a high-level probe ordered by the government into the alleged irregularities and misappropriation of money done by a nexus between a section of officials with contractors in executing different kinds of protection works.
They demanded those found involved in committing irregularities and siphoning off funds during implementation of different schemes and projects be dealt firmly by initiating legal action against them.
The protesters pointed out that the condition of the embankment at Nimatighat was precarious and sought that the government at the earliest undertake fresh protection works for safety and security of people residing in villages near the bank.
The students’ body later sent a memorandum to the Water Resources minister, through the deputy commissioner’s office, seeking fulfilment of their demands.
AJYCP assistant general secretary Siba Kalita, Jorhat district unit president and general secretary Pranabjyoti Saikia and Babu Dutta respectively, and state executive committee member Zakir Hussain were among the protesters.
It may be mentioned here that the waterway communication link to Majuli island is from Neematighat, which in the past three decades has witnessed massive erosion leading to the ghat shifting from one area to another in frequent intervals of time despite several projects undertaken by the government.
Vast erosion in the area has not only gobbled up many villages making hundreds of people homeless forcing them to migrate to safer areas, but has increased the threat level of submerging Jorhat town with the river moving closer to the Borali embankment each passing year.
The Brahmaputra, which in the past decades was flowing 200 metres away from the embankment, is now only about a few metres away from the embankment.