Residents of Sukanta Colony in Kailashahar under Unakoti district have alleged large-scale irregularities in the construction of concrete blocks meant to prevent erosion along the banks of the Manu River, claiming that poor-quality work has left around 150 families vulnerable ahead of the monsoon.
According to local residents, the State government had sanctioned a project worth over Rs 1 crore through the Flood Control Department to construct protective blocks along the riverbank following years of persistent demands. However, they alleged that the work was executed only on paper, while contractors siphoned off a substantial portion of the project funds.
The villagers claimed that although the departmental guidelines required the construction of 18,000 concrete blocks with a height of 12 inches, the contractors allegedly produced blocks measuring only eight inches. They further alleged that instead of the sanctioned 18,000 blocks, only around 4,000 were actually manufactured.
Locals also accused the contractors of compromising on quality by using less cement than prescribed and an excessive quantity of sand. They alleged that sand was illegally extracted from the nearby Manu River and used without proper processing. The blocks were reportedly dumped into the river haphazardly during the night.
Residents further alleged that no engineers or officials from the Flood Control Department visited the construction site during the execution of the work. They claimed that repeated complaints to departmental officials and local ruling party leaders failed to elicit any action.
With the Manu River now eroding land close to residential houses, the residents said they fear that nearly 150 economically weaker families could face severe risks during the upcoming monsoon season.
The residents have appealed to the Chief Minister to order an immediate inquiry into the alleged irregularities, reconstruct the erosion protection works in accordance with official specifications, and take exemplary action against those found responsible.
The report also contains allegations against certain contractors and an unnamed local leader regarding corruption and other activities. However, these allegations remain unverified, and there has been no official response from the contractors, the individuals concerned, or the Flood Control Department.
Residents are now awaiting action from the department's higher authorities to address the alleged irregularities and strengthen the riverbank before the monsoon intensifies.