Golaghat: The BJP legislator from Khumtai, Mrinal Saikia, is all set to sue the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (Neepco) for allegedly releasing water from its Doyang hydro-electric project in Nagaland's Wokha district without warning the Golaghat district administration in Assam.

The project is funded by the North Eastern Council.

Saikia said: "Sheer carelessness and casual attitude of Neepco has made people of Golaghat district suffer flash floods. They informed the Golaghat district administration only an hour before releasing the water.

"Neepco has to take responsibility and adequate compensation must be given to the flood victims at the earliest. They cannot be allowed to get away with it. Therefore, I am going to file a writ petition in Gauhati High Court against Neepco."

Former minister and Golaghat MLA Ajanta Neog also demanded an inquiry into release of water without prior intimation.

Situated on the Doyang river, the project, with a capacity of 75MW, was commissioned in the second week of July 2000. A review meeting of the flood situation was held on Wednesday night at the office of the deputy commissioner here. It was attended by Assam's agriculture minister Atul Bora and its water resources minister Keshab Mahanta. The meeting was also attended by MLAs of Khumtai, Sarupathar and Golaghat.

On Thursday, Bora visited the relief camps at Merapani and Sisupani and took stock of the flood situation.

Recent floods have so far claimed the lives of Kiran Rai of Barpathar, Birendra Kisku of Uriamghat and Khogeswar Gowala of Bokakhat.

Because of heavy floods, the bridge over the Dhansiri river at Numaligarh on National Highway 37 has been slightly damaged for which movement of all vehicular traffic was stopped on Thursday.

According to latest reports, the Brahmaputra at Dhansirimukh is flowing 0.24 metre above the danger level and the Dhansiri at Numaligarh is flowing 2.60 metre above the danger level.

The district administration has stepped up rescue and rehabilitation operations.

Altogether 130 rescue personnel, including four teams of the fire and emergency services, State Disaster Response Force and three teams of the National Disaster Response Force are currently engaged in rescue operations in different parts of the district.

Thirteen villages under Khumtai revenue circle, 12 villages each of Sarupathar revenue circle, Merapani subdivision and Golaghat revenue circle besides 17 villages under Morongi revenue circle, 18 villages under Bokakhat revenue circle and seven villages in the border area of Uriamghat (Sector B) have been affected in the floods.