Association members at the press meet in Dibrugarh on Wednesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Dibrugarh, May 5: The All Assam Water Resources Contractors Association today pilloried the state government for lack of strategic planning required to put paid to floods and erosion in the state.

In a stinging criticism of the government and water resources minister Prithibi Majhi, the representatives of the associations, who visited Nagagholee in Dibrugarh district today, termed the situation to be grim and threatening for Dibrugarh town.

Dispur has claimed to have taken concrete steps to check erosion at Nagagholee.

Addressing the media at the Dibrugarh Press Club, the leaders of the association made allegation after allegation against the government’s failure to release funds and sanction numerous projects across the state.

The association also alleged that its contractors had not received a single paisa against the 73 schemes worth Rs 432 crore aimed to strengthen the existing dykes across the state.

The schemes fall under the Prime Ministers Task Force Project and the Centre had sanctioned 90 per cent funds.

“Contractors from our association who are mostly educated unemployed youths from the state are always at the receiving end from the water resources department as well as the state government; many a time as the government always lacks proper planning we are forced to work without any plan and estimate, without any sanction and budget and without even a formal work order,” the president of the association, Muhi Borgohain, told the media.

The association had earlier decided not to start work at any site without issuance of any formal work order by the water resources department.

“The existence of Dibrugarh town being at stake, we had to shun own decision and our contractors had started work at the site. According to an assessment, anti-erosion works at Nagagholee will cost around Rs 17 crore. The officials of the water resources department do not know who will sanction the funds and when the payments will be made,” Jibon Sarmah, the general secretary of the association, said.

The delegation of the association that visited Nagagholee erosion site and took stock of the situation was led by Borgohain.

It also included the association’s vice-president Ananta Mohan Sarmah, Jibon Sarmah and Chandreswar Saikia, the secretary of the Dibrugarh district unit of the association.