Dibrugarh: Construction of the Sessa River embankment at Lezai-Kalakhowa in Assam’s Dibrugarh district remains incomplete nearly six years after the project was sanctioned, with local residents alleging that around 90 per cent of the sanctioned amount has already been released to the contractor.
The project, estimated to cost Rs 11 crore, was sanctioned for the construction of a 4-km-long embankment in the Lezai-Kalakhowa Bordoibam area. On February 21, 2020, the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for the project.
The embankment was planned to protect around 55 villages in the greater Lezai-Kalakhowa area from recurring flood-related problems.
Local residents have reportedly been demanding the construction of the embankment for years.
Residents alleged that despite nearly six years having passed, the project remains incomplete. They also alleged that around 90 per cent of the sanctioned amount has already been released to the contractor, despite the pending work.
The allegations have raised concern among flood-affected residents, who have been approaching government offices and repeatedly seeking completion of the long-pending project.
Residents have also questioned how such a substantial amount could allegedly be released while the embankment remains incomplete, with several stretches reportedly resembling little more than raised earth mounds.
The alleged irregularities have raised questions about the monitoring of the project by the Water Resources Department and the accountability of the officials and contractors involved.
Local residents have urged the state government, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Water Resources Minister Sushanta Borgohain, to intervene, investigate the alleged financial irregularities and ensure that the embankment is completed at the earliest.