Guwahati: Road construction under the Bharatmala project destroyed nearly 100 bighas of farmland in Assam's Cachar district. An embankment collapse triggered the disaster. Floodwaters, soil, and rocks tore through fields in Labakpar Part III and Part IV under the Poylapool Gaon Panchayat. The damage hit the Lakhipur Assembly constituency hard.
Farmers blame the construction contractor for the mess. Crews used soil from nearby hills to build the Silchar-Jirighat road. Residents claim they repeatedly begged the builders to install culverts for drainage. Nobody listened. The trapped rainwater built up until the earthen wall finally gave way.
Many growers took out loans to fund their planting season. Now, their paddy saplings are gone and their bank accounts are empty. The farmers told the Lakhipur co-district administration and the Agriculture Department about the devastation. They have received zero support. One farmer stated, "The farmers have now sought the intervention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika and Lakhipur MLA and minister Kaushik Rai."
The group wants officials to visit the site to assess the damage. They need immediate cash compensation for their losses. They also demand better drainage designs to protect what remains of their property before more rain strikes.
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