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Title: Need to bring a specific plan for making National Waterways – II navigable for commercial use.
DR. ARUN KUMAR SARMA (LAKHIMPUR):Sir, I would like to draw the attention of the Government regarding urgent necessity of taking up a specific plan to make National Waterways-II navigable for commercial use. After taking over the Brahmaputra route as National Waterways-II, almost 25 years back no significant improvement of its navigability is visible. Rather it has far deteriorated from the original navigable status due to extensive silting and change of behaviour of Brahmaputra River. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Shipping though claimed to have taken a number of steps during several Plan periods have not achieved even 10 per cent of the target specifically in the sector between Sadia and Tezpur. Not to speak of having any establishment or any activity, the IWAI is not even visible for conducting hydrographic survey in this sector during the last couple of years. As a result, no action as to the bandalling, channel marking, port development was conducted and also the depth maintenance is lower than one meter in lean season.
I, therefore, urge upon the Ministry of Shipping to immediately review the matter and come out with a proactive mechanism to ensure execution of its mandated assignment for NW-II in collaboration with Government of Assam.