In all certainty, it is going to be a brief innings for Santosh Mohan Dev at the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR). Yet his hands are full. Revamping of Brahmaputra Board, various undergoing irrigation projects, construction of dams, anti-erosion projects in Brahmaputra and Ganga basins are some of the assignments Mr. Dev will have to handle before the next cabinet expansion, which is likely to take place in January next.

The Minister has expressed his desire to expedite the ongoing projects under MoWR. To ensure the support of the states in his endeavour, a meeting of State Irrigation ministers had already taken place. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the meeting. Mr. Dev is hopeful that the meeting would provide necessary impetus to the ongoing projects.

Santosh Mohan Dev hinted that revamping of the Brahmaputra Board was on the cards. Mr. Dev revealed that in all possibility north Bengal would not be brought under the board. He indicated that the officials in the MoWR were already working on a proposal to constitute a similar body for North Bengal and Sikkim. The Minister assured that he would try to do the best possible for revamping of the board.

According to him the task of revamping the Brahmaputra Board will be accorded top priority. It    may be mentioned here that the Prime Minister is also not happy with the functioning of the Brahmaputra Board. Apart from other proposals to make the board functional, Brahmaputra Board is all set to be renamed. Moreover, to tone up the functioning of the Board, it is being planned to convert it in to an executing body and to give it more power.

Talking about his other priorities, the Minister informed that Tipaimukh project, Harrang Dam, protection of Majuli River Island are in his mind. A special package for protection of Majuli Island is also on the anvil. It may be mentioned here that the Public Investment Board (PIB) has finally given the nod for the construction of Tipaimukh Dam project in the Barak river and sanctioned Rs. 6000 crore for it.

The project was initially investigated by CWC and thereafter by the Brahmaputra Board. It has been handed over to NEEPCO in July 1999 for execution. The revised DPR prepared by NEEPCO at a cost of Rs. 5163.86 crore was techno economically cleared by CEA on July 2, 2003.

In a recent high level meeting of the PIB held in New Delhi it was decided that construction work on the project will start early next year. The project will greatly solve the power problem in Assam, particularly in the Barak Valley. 1500 mw power will be generated from this dam once constructed. It has been clarified to Bangladesh, which has raised objections to the project that the project has no irrigation component. India would furnish to Bangladesh the dam parameters as and when it is ready.

The Minister has more good news for the people of his constituency too. Mr. Dev mentioned that the Silchar-Harrang drainage scheme pending for long would be expedited and all loose ends tied up. The Minister was visibly unhappy with the lackadaisical attitude of the officials. Despite several complaints, no action has been taken by the officials, he lamented.

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