Huge scam in Geo Bags scheme reported

The flood situation in Assam remains grim especiallyin Jorhat and Karimganj as at least 15000 families have been affected in thearea. The River embankments have breached but the concerned authority is failedto control the floods and it has come to notice that the Geo Bags to controlthe flood is lying empty.

Earlier, on May, the deputy commissioner (in-charge)of Majuli visited the Bhakat Chapori, Gorukhuti area in the riverine island andnoticed misuse of government fund at the erosion protection site. The DC, afternoticing the misuse of fund immediately reported the issue to the executiveengineer of Brahmaputra Board, Majuli and urgently sought an action-takenreport.

The letter issued by the DC to the Brahmaputra Boardsaid that instances of putting empty geo bags inside sand-filled bags alongwith laying of empty geo bags in between sand-filled geo bags were brought tohis notice. The DC in his letter also added that this is a serious misconductand misuse of government fund which clearly indicates lack of propersupervision and inspection of erosion protection works by the site engineers ofBrahmaputra Board which has resulted a huge threat to the island as well asagitation among the local people.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU),Majuli sub-division unit also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissionerdemanding an inquiry into the issue and a copy of it has also been sent to theChief Minister. It may be further mentioned that Rs. 194 crore scheme forProtection of Majuli River Island from Erosion was implemented by theBrahmaputra Board which was inaugurated by union minister Nitin Gadkari in 2017and the project is being carried out by an Arunachal Pradesh-based constructioncompany TK Engineering.

The major components of the project includes bankrevetment with geo bags filled with earth/sand for a length of 27 km in 14locations , RCC porcupine works in 41 locations, construction of a sluice andconstruction of a pilot channel for a length of 3.50km.

It is due to the negligence of the Brahmaputra Boardthat the embankment of River Bhogdoi was breached on May 22 and many familieshave been affected.