TRIPURA : The recent floods caused damage to about 4,279 km of road and 185 bridges and culverts in the state. Landslides and soil erosion on the river banks caused serious damages to the roads, culverts, and bridges, informed the secretary of PWD (roads and bridges), DWS, and health, Kiran Gitte, at a press conference at Agartala Press Club. Speaking about the rescue and restoration operations in post flood situation he said, restoration works would cost the department around Rs. 2,015 crore. Already, 200 km of roads have been restored, and work for 700 km. is going on. The target is to complete the lion’s share of the restoration work before Durga Puja. The finance department has sanctioned Rs. 200 crore for the restoration of roads and bridges. Both NH-08 and NH-208 are now functional.

In the context of damages to irrigation systems and works in this sector, PWD Secretary Kiran Gitte said that out of 1,595 lift irrigation projects, 1,182 have been damaged. Five out of seven high-power lift irrigation systems are out of order now. He informed us that 252 deep tube wells out of 354 and 42 diversion schemes out of 48 have sustained damages. Among the shallow tube wells, 724 out of 1060 tube wells and all three medium irrigation projects are not functioning. In addition, 92 sluice gates and 97 km. The riverbank has been damaged.

This puts the total damage in the water resources division of PWD to Rs. 3,528 crore approximately. Repair and restoration work for these irrigation projects have started to facilitate the cultivation of winter crops and vegetables. For their repair and restoration finance department has sanctioned Rs. 35 crore. Till now, the department has been able to repair and restore 140 lift irrigation schemes, 2 high power lift irrigation, 18 deep tube wells, 27 shallow tube wells, and a 750 metre river dam.

On the other hand, the health secretary informed that in the recent floods, 15 PHCs, 3 Community Health Centres, and 83 Health Sub-centres were affected, and the monetary damage done was around Rs. 10 crore. The health department has directed the flood-affected people to drink safe water or drink water after boiling. He said, till now 1.10 lakh people have been provided health care service through 2,748 health camps in flood affected areas. Four Rapid Response Teams regularly visit the flood-affected areas. The health secretary further informed, there is no shortage of medicines. No reports of diarrhea outbreak have come so far.