Agartala 14 September, 2024: In a press conference held at the Agartala Press Club, the Secretary of Public Works (Roads and Bridges), Water Resources, and Health Departments, Kiran Gitte, revealed the extent of damage caused by recent floods in the state. He stated that approximately 4,279 km of roads, 185 bridges, and culverts have been severely damaged. Torrential water flowing from the hilly areas triggered landslides and erosion along riverbanks, leading to widespread destruction of infrastructure.
The Secretary further detailed the recovery efforts, saying that an estimated ₹2,015 crore is needed for restoration work. Currently, 200 km of roads have been repaired, with work in progress on an additional 700 km. The goal is to complete most of the repairs before the upcoming Durga Puja. The Finance Department has allocated ₹200 crore for road and bridge restoration. Both National Highway 8 and National Highway 208 are operational.
Irrigation Systems Severely Affected
The flood caused extensive damage to irrigation infrastructure. Of the 1,595 lift irrigation projects, 1,182 were affected. Five out of seven high-power lift irrigation schemes are non-functional, and 252 out of 354 deep tube wells were damaged. In addition, 42 out of 48 diversion schemes and 724 shallow tube wells have been destroyed. The total loss for the Water Resources Department stands at ₹3,528 crore. The department has begun repairing the irrigation systems to support the upcoming winter crop season.
To date, ₹35 crore has been allocated for the restoration of irrigation projects. The department has successfully restored 140 lift irrigation schemes, two high-power lift irrigation systems, 18 deep tube wells, and 27 shallow tube wells, along with repairing 750 meters of river embankment.
Health Department Mobilizes to Address Flood Aftermath
The Health Secretary reported significant damage to 15 primary health centers, three community health centers, and 83 sub-health centers, with losses estimated at ₹10 crore. The department has issued advisories urging people in flood-affected areas to store water in safe locations and boil it before drinking. So far, 2,748 health camps have been conducted, treating over 110,000 patients.
Four rapid response teams are actively monitoring the situation, and there are no reported outbreaks of diarrhea in flood-affected areas. Additionally, medical personnel have visited 1,767 relief camps, providing services to over 41,926 families. The state has sufficient stock of essential medicines, and efforts are underway to maintain public health safety.
In a visit to the flood-hit areas, Chief Minister Professor (Dr.) Manik Saha inspected a special health camp organized in Maichhara, South Tripura. The camp featured specialist doctors from Agartala Government Medical College and Bilonia Sub-Divisional Hospital.
Also present at the press conference were Dr. Anjan Das, Director of Health and Family Welfare; Sudhan Debbarma, Additional Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department; Bimal Das, Chief Engineer of PMGSY; and Amit Das, Chief Engineer of PWD-NH.
