Agartala, July 10: Residents of Wards 7 and 8 of the Melaghar Municipal Council in Tripura’s Sepahijala district are facing growing anxiety as rising water levels in the Gomati River, triggered by continuous monsoon rains, have intensified riverbank erosion, threatening homes and farmland.
Locals said the swelling river has forced several families living along the riverbank to dismantle and relocate their houses to safer locations. They alleged that large stretches of agricultural land have already been washed away, while a number of houses have either collapsed into the river or remain at imminent risk.
Residents claimed that anti-erosion work along the vulnerable stretch has remained stalled due to disputes over the tender process. According to them, the tender for the construction of protective measures was initiated around six months ago following years of public demand, but the project has yet to begin.
The affected families said they have been demanding a boulder embankment along the Gomati River for nearly two decades to safeguard lives, property and agricultural land from recurring monsoon erosion.
With the river in spate, locals fear further destruction if the work is not started immediately. They urged the authorities to resolve the pending tender-related issues and expedite anti-erosion measures before the situation worsens during the ongoing monsoon season.
There was no immediate response from the district administration or the concerned department regarding the allegations raised by residents.
