BASAR, Nov 10: The Galo Peoples’ Federation (GPF) has lodged an FIR against M/s Shivam Construction Company Pvt Ltd, Assam, and its project manager Damon Jha at the Basar police station in Leparada district, in connection with the devastation caused in Ego valley on 17 September.
In its complaint letter, the federation alleged that the road construction company and its manager had “deliberately” caused the flashflood on 17 September. A case has been registered under Sections 430/431/427/34 of the IPC at the Basar police station.
“Shivam Construction Company is the agency for construction of the double-lane road from a hotel to the ITBP camp in Bam,” the GPF informed.
“It is observed that the said company is constructing the said stretch of the road without following the basic norms of highway construction, and the qualities are being unmindfully compromised at many levels,” it said.
The federation stated that the local residents on several occasions urged the officials at the site not to carry out earth-cutting randomly but the officials of the construction company did not listen to the repeated pleas of the local residents.
“Instead of adopting safety measures, they have abruptly carried out their works by putting the life and properties of the local residents at risks,” it said.
The GPF said that the devastation in Ego valley occurred due to the lackadaisical attitude of the construction company.
“The devastation could have been avoided, had the construction company promptly acted upon the pleas of the locals,” the federation claimed.
It informed that the devastation has rendered the residents of Ego valley homeless, besides claiming two lives and washing away properties worth crores of rupees.
“Due to the random earth-cutting near Ego bridge, massive landslides occurred and the debris, including heavy rocks and mud, heavily came down from the mountain and congregated at the riverbed of Ego river, thereby blocking the natural flow of the Ego river for almost 10-15 minutes. After blocking the natural flow of Ego river, a pond-like situation was formed and the entire Ego camp was made to submerge under the water for almost 10 minutes. After some minutes, the blocked water with buoyant force heavily burst the pond and completely washed away the 30-year-old RCC bridge over Ego river within the blink of the eye,” the GPF said.
“Two innocent persons, Bato Doye and one Thakuria were washed away in the flashflood, besides washing away properties worth crores of rupees, including the paddy cultivation and WRC field,” it said.
The GPF urged the police to take necessary action as per the law against Shivam Construction and its project manager “for causing injury to works of irrigation or by disturbing the natural flow of river with unplanned manner, thereby diverting the natural flow of river with intent to cause damages to the cultivation field of the locals as well as other properties worth crores of rupees.”
