Finally pumps used at lane besides Public School on Wednesday to drain out flood water

May 25: Though the water level of River Barak at Annapurna Ghat and other places have considerably decreased, yet flood water which entered many parts of Silchar town still persists. The torrential rainfall during the previous week resulted in accumulation of rain water in several parts of Public School Road including the ‘Adi Shiv Bari Road,’ the lane just adjacent to Public HS School. Before that water could dry, fresh floods after overflowing of Rangirkhal submerged the lane with flood water mixed with those of rain water found its way into the houses of many. Since then, it has been around 10 days that the residents of that lane are suffering due to the accumulation of water.

Finally, on Wednesday, residents of the lane came forward and decided to find a way out. Local resident, Pritam Roy took the initiative and a small pump was set up there to drain out the stagnant water. However, later on, another large pump was brought there under the initiative of Debasish Shome, nominee of Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty to Silchar Municipal Board (SMB). The machines were installed towards the afternoon. Till the filing of the report at midnight, both these two machines were working to drain out the water.

Meanwhile, MLA Dipayan Chakraborty visited the spot at midnight and took stock of the situation. He further instructed his nominee at SMB Debasish Shome to take special attention and see to it that the machine is working properly at night. Speaking to way2barak, MLA Chakraborty said, “I know that the people of this locality were facing immense hardship, but until the level of Rangirkhal went a bit down, we did not take the risk of using the pumps. I seek cooperation of honourable citizens of the area and assure to offer a lasting solution once the water gets drained out completely.

However, the locals have aired the view that something concrete and permanent should be done so that such kind of a situation does not arise again in the future. A spell of rain and the lane gets submerged. This phenomenon has been prevalent here after the construction of the culvert at the starting point of the Adi Shib Bari Lane. Pritam Roy said, “The SMB and the other concerned departments should immediately do a proper survey so that the errors for which water engulfs this area off and on is detected and resisted at the earliest.”