Jorhat, April 6: The NHPC has allayed fears that the demo work of the anti-erosion project downstream of the Lower Subansiri river has been washed away and that another channel has started flowing, following incessant rainfall in the past week.

In a press communiqué received here, NHPC has clarified that M/S Flexituff had started their demo work on the right bank of Subansiri near Dakhin Rupahi in Lakhimpur district.

The work was still in progress and that nearly a 64-metre stretch of the bottom layer had been laid and the top layer was yet to be executed.

"As a result of the rise in river discharge on account of incessant rainfall in this area for more than a week, the bottom layer of geo-synthetic trap bags have got submerged and the demo work has been discontinued temporarily," the communiqué stated.

An NHPC official said the work done by Flexituff till date was intact and stable and that no damage had been done.

"The site has been visited by officers of the water resources department, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji districts, and they have found that the work done under demo so far is satisfactory," he said.

The NHPC is undertaking riverbank protection and erosion-control measures on both right and left banks of the river for a 30km stretch downstream of the 1,200KW dam in accordance with recommendations of joint steering committee and technical expert committee.

A survey of the area was carried out jointly by NHPC and the water resources department, Assam, wherein stretches were identified on both banks, which required protection.

The communiqué said even before the demo work begins, a secondary channel of the Subansiri was flowing into the already inundated banks of the Dakhin Rupahi during the lean season of December and January.

With the completion of the demo work, the flow of the secondary channel would be channelised into the main channel.

The official added that because of increase in river discharge, the discharge in secondary channel had also increased, which caused some erosion along the inundated riverbank.

"The NHPC, at the request of the villagers, undertook immediate protection measures along the critical zones so that there is no further damage. There has been no damage to any household there, even the ones, which were critically located along the banks since the previous monsoon are not under threat," he said.

"The NHPC has a detailed erosion control scheme for this area according to the joint survey report and the same shall be taken up during the lean season after getting the go ahead from the Core Group of Assam," the communiqué added.

The communiqué said before the joint survey of the area, NHPC had submitted its proposal and detailed project report to the Core Group of Assam.

The group was constituted to implement the joint steering committee report concerning mitigation of downstream impact of Subansiri Lower Project.

"The proposal of NHPC, based upon the joint survey report, is under consideration for technical vetting by water resources department, Assam and approval of Core Group of Assam before its implementation," it said.