Flooding in Chirang Disrupts Student Access to Exams
Impact of Rising Floodwaters in Chirang
With the only crossing rendered unusable, students and local residents were stranded
Chirang, June 27: On Saturday, the Aie River's rising floodwaters caused the collapse of a bamboo bridge at the Dangaigaon–Nepalpara crossing in Chirang district, severely affecting connectivity and putting over 300 students at risk of missing their half-yearly exams.
This bridge served as a crucial link for several villages located across the river, and its destruction followed a sudden surge in water levels due to an influx from Bhutan reported early that morning.
With the bridge now unusable, both students and local residents find themselves stranded, raising significant concerns regarding access to educational institutions and essential services.
Chirang Deputy Commissioner Gokul Brahma stated, "The water flow from Bhutan surged unexpectedly today, leading to this predicament. We have initiated boat services. We will coordinate with the Education Department regarding the students unable to attend their exams."
Local residents expressed that the situation was worsened by mismanagement at the ferry ghat. They accused middlemen practices in the tendering process as contributing factors to the current crisis.
One local remarked, "The tender was initially given to individuals from Dangaigaon, but the Nepalpara residents are advocating for direct allocation to them. While immediate bridge construction may not be feasible, we urge the government to explore alternative solutions."
In the meantime, the flood situation in various parts of Assam is worsening, with rising river levels, breaches in embankments, and continuous rainfall affecting multiple districts, prompting the state government to issue maximum alerts for vulnerable areas.