Guwahati, Dec. 23: The All Assam Water Resources Contractors' Association today said repair of all the embankments would not be possible by March.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had set this deadline to complete the entire project.

The Assam government yesterday released Rs 600 crore to revamp and repair dykes. Sonowal, in a statement, has asked the water resources department to start the repair by January 2.

"We welcome the announcement by the chief minister. But completing the work within deadline seems impossible for contractors as it will take more than a month to start work because of procedures involved like calling tenders and other administrative work," said Muhi Borgohain, president of the association.

Borgohain said meeting the March deadline would be possible if work orders for the schemes were issued within a day or two.

"Finance and revenue and disaster management departments are the obstacles in meeting the deadline. They have not sanctioned all the schemes," he said.

Borgohain said of the 98 embankment repairing schemes under the State Disaster Response Funds, the revenue and disaster management department has approved 62 schemes worth Rs 88.75 crore. "Work for the 62 schemes has begun and it will be completed by March. But the bigger schemes still need approval."

"E-tendering process alone takes a minimum of 21 days. Considering the time taken for other administrative work, issuing work permits for the remaining schemes is unlikely even in January. How can contractors begin work on January 2? If they start work in February it will be almost an impossible task to finish by March," he said.

After March, the state will start receiving pre-monsoon rain and repairing embankments in the rain is a futile exercise.

The association requested Sonowal to see that all the schemes under SDRF get approval soon.