Guwahati: Farmers across several villages in Assam’s Boko-Chhaygaon constituency have voiced strong protest against the Irrigation Department, accusing it of neglect and mismanagement that has left a major irrigation project virtually useless. The Medhipara Flow Irrigation Project, built on the Boko River in Bakarapara village to irrigate thousands of bighas of agricultural land, now lies in disrepair, with its canals choked by overgrown vegetation and no water reaching farmlands during peak cultivation season.
Located just four kilometres from the office of the Executive Engineer of the Boko-Chhaygaon Division, the project was originally designed to channel water to farmlands in Bakarapara, Raipara, Medhipara, Goptapothar, Shosankhaliya, Borghuli, Kotolgaon, and nearby villages. However, farmers say the canals have been overrun by wild growth for years, blocking water flow and undermining the entire purpose of the project.
“Instead of water, the canals are now filled with jungles,” said Bhaben Rabha, a retired defence personnel and local farmer. He claimed that despite repeated complaints, the department has done nothing beyond offering vague assurances. Rabha alleged that crores of rupees have been spent on the project, including the salaries of staff, yet no functional irrigation has been delivered.
Dimbeeswar Das, a farmer from Belpara, echoed similar frustrations. He pointed out that even during the sowing season, water from the Boko River fails to reach their fields. “The canal is blocked from the start. Grass and trees have taken over the source, and the water just doesn’t come through. The project has totally failed.”
In addition to failed irrigation, farmers are facing related problems during the monsoon. Rabha noted that several low-lying villages, including Bakarapara and Belpara, are hit by flooding each year because the clogged canals push excess rainwater back into residential areas. A railway underpass on the Guwahati–Bongaigaon line frequently floods as a result, affecting the daily lives and mobility of villagers.
Assistant Executive Engineer Akikul Aman of the Boko-Chaygaon division acknowledged the operational setbacks, citing a severe manpower shortage. “Only two staff members are deployed during the day and two at night to monitor the project. We’ve already informed higher authorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, farmers are demanding immediate desilting and cleaning of the canals, along with greater accountability from the irrigation department. As discontent builds, the situation highlights a persistent gap between infrastructure projects on paper and their real-world impact—leaving Assam’s farmers without access to one of their most vital resources: water.
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