In Lakhimpur against farm construction inquiry ordered

North Lakhimpur: Assam’s Lakhimpur district forest department has ordered an inquiry against a prominent construction farm for allegedly using timber cut from young trees for formwork in an RCC bridge.

JC Construction, the contractor company engaged in the Rs 26.2 crore RCC bridge over the Ranganadi river at Kharkati-Phatasuti in Lakhimpur district, has been accused of using felled young and immature trees to support underground work. using as Bridge built by nature lovers and local villagers.
According to villagers, the construction company was seen bringing huge quantities of timber to the construction site and fitting them as support posts for the formwork as the pre-casting phase was underway.
Based on a public complaint, a team from the Lakhimpur district forest department visited the site on May 1 and inspected the works on the spot.

The forest team found flouting of state forest regulations by the construction company and confiscated the timber piled there.
They also put up a notice board asking JC Constructions to suspend work till the inquiry is completed.
The Forest Protection Force of Lakhimpur district also registered a case against the construction company for violating existing forest laws in procuring timber for its work.

The alleged use of timber from young felled trees by JC Construction on the bridge also appears to be in violation of Indian Roads Congress-2018 Guideline 115.1 for Formwork, Fallwork and Temporary Structures for Road Bridges.
The guideline requires that all topographical, geographical and climatic conditions should be examined as relevant to the design.

In addition, civil engineering principles require well-seasoned, light-weight, easily workable timbers with no split nails and free of loose knots for formwork.
It is surprising that a well-known construction company like JC Construction with a history of many successful projects is showing ignorance of existing forest products laws to procure and use timber at a time when R.C. Steel and other simple and strong materials are available for the construction formworks.

The disinterest and indifference of the district forest department is also in the public eye as the timber was transported to the project site which is close to their office.
He visited the construction site after much buzz in local and social media platforms.

The source and method by which the timber was procured by the construction company is yet to be ascertained by the Forest Department.

It may be noted that the then Minister of Finance, Health and PWD of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma, under SOPD-G for the year 2020, commissioned RCC Bridge No. 5/1 over River Ranganadi at Panigaon Kharkati Ahomoni Mirigaon Road at Phatasutighat. The foundation stone of the building was laid. -21 on February 9, 2021.
The 240-metre bridge over Ranganadi, the second of its kind, is being constructed at a cost of Rs 26,20,85,839 to connect Panigaon in North Lakhimpur to Nowboicha, which besides decongesting traffic on NH- A distance of more than 25 km will be reduced. 15 to North Lakhimpur.