CPI(M) Boycott Clouds Tripura Assembly as CM Unveils Rs 248 Cr River Howrah Flood Mitigation Plan
Agartala, March 28:
The ongoing Tripura Assembly session continued to face disruptions on Thursday as CPI(M) MLAs extended their boycott in protest against the Speaker’s handling of privilege motions. The Opposition legislators staged a demonstration at the Assembly premises near the B R Ambedkar statue, expressing discontent over the rejection of a privilege motion moved by Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, while accepting one filed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath against Daily Desher Katha, the former CPI(M) mouthpiece.
Despite Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha’s appeal for dialogue and urging CPI(M) legislators to participate in the budget discussions, the boycott remained firm. Congress leaders Gopal Chandra Roy and Sudip Roy Barman also requested the Speaker to intervene and bring back the Opposition, but their proposal was dismissed following resistance from treasury bench members.
Speaker Biswabandhu Sen defended his decision, citing procedural grounds. He stated that Nath’s motion was submitted first and accompanied by the required documentation, unlike Chaudhury’s. However, Chaudhury accused the Speaker of violating Assembly norms and demanded Nath’s motion be declared invalid while initiating proceedings against the minister.
Amid the political standoff, Chief Minister Saha addressed the House during the Reference Period and laid out a comprehensive plan to tackle the recurring flood threat posed by the River Howrah, which inundated parts of Agartala last year. He highlighted how unplanned development, pollution, and deforestation had altered the river’s flow and reduced its navigability.
To address these issues, the government has proposed:
A 9.33 km-long flood wall from the Indo-Bangla border to Chandrapur Devatacherra Bridge at a cost of Rs 248 crore, to be executed on EPC mode.
Dredging and rejuvenation of River Howrah, with a proposal already submitted to the Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Agartala Smart City Project.
A six-month clean-up initiative to remove silt and waste from the river.
The CM also stated that the government is working to purify water from Lake Dumbur, which serves as the reservoir for the Gumti hydroelectric project.
Tripura was hit by severe floods last year that claimed 38 lives and affected over 17 lakh people, with 11 of the state’s 12 rivers breaching danger levels. The government aims to strengthen flood preparedness and restore ecological balance in the state’s river systems through these measures.