Incomplete dyke can threaten Dibrugarh in monsoons: Forum

The halt in construction of the Town Protection Dyke (TPD), following alleged objections raised by the Army over a land dispute, can pose a threat to Dibrugarh city during the next monsoons, social activists claimed here.
Even as construction of the 8.5 km Brahmaputra protection dyke nears completion, work along the 1.2 km stretch near the cantonment area here was pending as the Army authorities raised objections on the ground that the land belonged to the cantonment, district Deputy Commissioner M S Manivannan told PTI.
The Army has informed the district administration that they have records that shows the area belongs to them and in 1955, they had permitted for construction of the dyke, he said adding, there was no record with the Assam Government indicating that the dyke area belonged to the Army.

Instead, it belongs to the state government as per the land records, he said.
Stating that six acres from the cantonment area was required for strengthening, raising, upgradation and construction of the 1.2 km stretch of the dyke, the DC said he was holding talks with the Army authorities in this regard.
To resolve the issue, several rounds of talks were held between the Army, District Administration and the implementing agency Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA) and the Water Resource Department during the last two months where it was stressed that the dyke needs to be completed before the monsoons, he said.

"In case their land is used, the state government can always compensate," the DC said adding, the Chief Secretary has been apprised about the matter.
Social activists were concerned that the trenches on both sides of the dyke along the 1.2 km stretch have already been dug and if work was not completed on time before the onset of monsoons, the stretch would threaten the existence of the city with has a population of over three lakhs.
Dibrugarh-Tinsukia Flood Erosion Management Forum president Binod Kedia was apprehensive that non-completion of the dyke would seriously threaten Dibrugarh increasing the city's vulnerability to floods.