*Agartala:*
After decades of waiting and repeated demands from local residents, repair work on the Manu River embankment stretching nearly five kilometres from Dolugao to Haor Bazar under Birchandranagar Gram Panchayat formally commenced on Thursday. The long-pending project was inaugurated with a traditional Ganga Puja, marking a moment of relief and renewed hope for people living in the flood-prone Haor region.
Inaugurating the work, Minister Tinku Roy described the initiative as a “significant and welfare-oriented project” aimed at protecting lives, livelihoods and agricultural land from recurring floods and river erosion. He said the strengthened embankment would finally address a long-standing concern of residents who have suffered repeated losses due to breaches and weak riverbanks over the years.
The minister highlighted the extreme vulnerability of the Haor belt within the Chandipur constituency, pointing out that six gram panchayats in the area depend almost entirely on agriculture. Nearly 95 per cent of the local population is directly or indirectly engaged in farming, with the vast 17-Miar Haor being the only major source of paddy cultivation. “Without a strong embankment, floodwaters from the Manu River can wash away standing crops, houses and livelihoods within minutes,” Roy warned.
Local officials and community representatives present at the event echoed the minister’s views, stressing that the embankment is far more than a physical structure. For the agrarian communities, it represents security, stability and survival. Farmers said the repaired embankment would act as a protective shield for their crops, prevent displacement of families and ensure continuity of agricultural activities.
The commencement of the repair work has generated optimism across the region, with residents expressing hope that the project will bring long-term protection and reduce annual flood-related losses. Once completed, the embankment is expected to significantly strengthen flood management in the Haor belt, enhance agricultural productivity and restore confidence among farmers who have long lived under the constant threat of erosion and inundation.
The project is being seen as a crucial step toward safeguarding the future of one of the state’s most flood-vulnerable regions.
