ITANAGAR, Mar 8: The founder of Rural Works Department (RWD) and the first Chief Engineer, T.K. Mukherjee has died on 6 February las, at his residence in Kolkata after a brief illness. He was of 85.
Mukherjee had joined Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh on 6 April, 1965 as assistant engineer and later promoted as regional engineer (EE) in the department of agriculture. He retired on 31 March 1993. Mukherjee had created rural works department after bifurcation from agriculture in the year 1978-79. Later, he became the first Chief Engineer of the department in the year 1980. He served the state for more than 28 years and established the works department which has since been undertaking the rural infrastructure and associated works.
Late Mukherjee was pioneer in establishing the best engineering practices and set up the present office at ‘C’ Sector.
During his tenure the water resources and public health engineering departments were also the part of the unified rural works. Many important projects on irrigation, road connectivity, water supply, renewable energy and land use were also initiated and completed.
Mukherjee is survived by his wife, a daughter and two grandchildren.
Meanwhile, the Rural Works Department had convened a condolence meeting at its office on Thursday last, to pay tributes to late Mukherjee and extended condolences to his bereaved family.
