GUWAHATI, AUG 20: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday laid the foundation of two erosion control projects at Rohmoria in Dibrugarh district. The erosion-control projects along the Brahmaputra river will be implemented between Liting Gaon to Rohmoria (800 metres) at a cost of Rs 7.5 crore and Rohmoria HS School to Borotichuk (925 metres) at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore.
He also announced grant of Rs 16.13 crore for construction of sluice gates at Bogoritolia-Maijan, Niz Rohmoria-Liting Gaon and Borotichuk-Horujan areas besides erosion-control work on another 1.33-km stretch in Rohmoria area.
Work on these new projects will begin in November. During the programme held at the Rohmoria Higher Secondary School playground, the chief minister also announced that a sports stadium will be constructed at Rohmoria for the youths at a cost of Rs 15 to 20 crore.
“The people of Rohmoria have been facing untold misery due to erosion since last several decades. The width of the Brahmaputra in the area was 7.22 km in 1966 and in just 30 years the width of the river had touched 16.20 km in 1996. Already 30 revenue villages, 4 big tea estates, more than 50 small tea gardens and one sericulture farm have been swept away due to the Brahmaputra erosion. 15,000 people have been displaced in Rohmoria. With the completion of the anti-erosion projects I hope that the erosion problem will be solved. We will try to complete the projects by May 2023,” the chief minister said.
During the progamme the chief minister also handed over Rs 4 lakh each to next kin of 3 victims of recent Rohmoria boat accident.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attended the function marking resumption of Khagorijan oilfield of Oil India Limited at Rohmoria in Dibrugarh district today.
Four wells were drilled after oil was discovered in the area in Nov 1998 & production started in December, 2004, including Khagorijan located 1.8 km from the Brahmaputra. But, operations were suspended in November 2007 due to administrative & environmental issues.