Union Road Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday, said that dredging in Brahmaputra river will be started in January. Speaking to reporters after a review meeting at Kaziranga, Gadkari said the ongoing dredging work in Barak river will be completed in July.
The dredging (clearing silt from the water) of the Brahmaputra river will start soon as a move to find a permanent solution to the perennial flood problem in Assam.
A decision in this regard was taken in a meeting held in August this year in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. He said that ferry ghats of Brahmaputra river will be improved. Ferry services will be increased and for this purpose local youths will be increased.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal attended the overview meeting on flood and erosion problem in Assam with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in presence of Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta Brahmaputra Board officials, legislators and senior officials in Kaziranga National Park.
During the meet, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal suggested constitution of a committee to submit recommendations after a scientific river basin study taking into account all stakeholders of the States and neighbouring countries.
It was decided that an integrated infrastructure committee involving the Brahmaputra Express Highway project, Inland waterways, etc. be set up with involvement of WAPCOS and international agencies as consultive agencies.
