Before the ensuing Monsoon season, the construction of different embankments and repairing of all existing embankments will be completed, said Tripura Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary Kiran Gitte.

Addressing a press conference at Civil Secretariat, Gitte along with Chief Executive Engineer of PWD, Sudhan Debbarma said that, the construction of embankment, specially at Kailashahar on river Manu, embankment in river Muhuri in Belonia under South Tripura district and repairing works of embankments in river Howrah and Katakhal in Agartala are going on in full speed and soon all these ongoing construction works to be completed before the ensuing Monsoon season.

He said that Chief Minister Dr Mank Saha has given special emphasis over construction of different embankment to reduce catastrophic effects of flood and recent, a high level team of state administration visited the flood-prone villages of Ballamukh and Ishan Chandranagar in South Tripura district and assured residents that flood management infrastructure projects in the area will be completed within three months.

PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte on Sunday visited the flood-prone villages of Ballamukh and Ishan Chandranagar in South Tripura district and assured residents that flood management infrastructure projects in the area will be completed within three months.

Addressing the media, Gitte said that during the budget session in February, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha identified 43 critical locations across the state where urgent flood management work was required. While work has commenced in some areas, others are still in the pre-execution stage.

To fast-track implementation in the flood-affected South Tripura region, Gitte announced that five additional engineers will be deployed. Furthermore, he confirmed that necessary work will also be undertaken on both the left and right banks of the Muhuri River to strengthen flood protection.

After serious concern raised by hundreds of villagers over construction of an embankment by Bangladesh, a high-level delegation on Sunday visited border town of Belonia, adjoining border villages and conducted an 'on the spot study', and possible effects on the Indian side due to the embankment along Muhuri river, which divides the two countries.

Gitte added that, embankments being constructed and other measures have been taken up and the ongoing works would be intensified.

He said that by June this year, all the repairing and related works would be completed. Work would be done round-the-clock. As the volume of work is very big in South Tripura district, five additional engineers would be posted in the district, he added.

Over thousands  villagers from 500 families of four Gram Panchayats of Bharat Chandra Nagar block located on the north bank of the Muhuri River near Belonia town and along with Indo-Bangladesh border under South Tripura district are facing imminent danger of submersion in coming Monsoon season due to the construction of an embankment by the Bangladesh government.

It may be recalled here that panic grips residents of these four Gram Panchayats of Belonia in Netaji Subhash Chandra Nagar and Ishan Chandra Nagar Gram Panchayats are at risk of being submerged due to monsoon flooding. Even Belonia town itself is under threat of inundation.

In violation of the international border agreement, the Bangladesh is constructing a embankment 15 to 20 feet high and 1 to 1.5 kilometers long on no man's land — the border-reserved area — in some places as close as 50 yards, and in others even less than 10 yards, from the Indian border, in areas like North Belonia and Ballamukha under the Netaji Subhash Chandra Nagar and Ishan Chandra Nagar Panchayats and the dam is now nearing completion. The unauthorized dam by Bangladesh has escalated tensions along the border.

Meanwhile, speaking with media persons local MLA Dipankar Sen said that to protect Kalikapur and its adjacent areas, Bangladesh has been constructing an embankment with a height of 8 to 9 feet. However, this has raised serious concern among Indian villagers living in three villages — Uttar Belonia, Ballamukh, Ishan Chandranagar — and nearby localities, said Sen.

Sen said that during his visit, villagers expressed deep concern, warning that the low-lying areas of three to four Indian villages could be severely affected by flooding due to the embankment on the Bangladeshi side. Villagers have demanded the construction of a canal from Ballamukh to Kalikapur via Ishan Chandranagar to allow floodwaters to pass during monsoon, he added.