ANTI-EROSION WORK ISSUE RAISED IN THE HOUSE

ANTI-EROSION WORK ISSUE RAISED IN THE HOUSE

22-JULY-ENG 13

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-----------------------During the Zero Hour of the Bihar Legislative Assembly's winter session, the issue concerning the Shahpur Assembly constituency in Bhojpur district took center stage. Local MLA Rakesh Ranjan raised the matter of the inordinate delay in the ongoing anti-erosion boulder-pitching work along the banks of the Ganges near Javainya village. Drawing the Water Resources Minister's attention to this critical issue, he warned that unless the pace of work is accelerated immediately, the local population could face a severe disaster.

The MLA explicitly stated that the primary reason for the project's sluggish progress is a critical shortage of laborers at the construction site. With the water level of the Ganges gradually rising, time has become of the essence. He emphasized that if the work is not completed before the full onset of the monsoon and the arrival of floods, Javainya and dozens of surrounding villages would face the looming threat of massive erosion, potentially causing extensive damage to lives and property. It is noteworthy that the Water Resources Department has approved boulder pitching and anti-erosion works, at a cost of ₹52.56 crore, to secure the banks of the Ganges near Javainya. According to departmental guidelines, the target was to complete this project by July 15. However, due to the contractor's negligence and poor work practices, only 70 percent of the work has been completed so far, even though the deadline has passed.

Through the House, MLA Rakesh Ranjan has urged the government to direct the contractor immediately and ensure the deployment of additional workers at the site. He emphasized the need to complete the work on a war footing—while maintaining quality—to protect the area from a potential disaster.