A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: Subansiri River, the largest tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra, has continued its devastation caused by erosion at several places of its valley. Of late, the erosion of the river has assumed demonic proportion at Na-Ali and Telia Pothar under North Lakhimpur revenue circle.
The increasing rate of the erosion in these places has caused an alarming threat to the Bhimpora-Na-Ali embankment on the right bank of the river. A mini island like high land came into being in that part of the river basin where thick shrubs grew later on. The river changed its main course after hitting the high land and started to erode away an extensive area at Telia Pothar and Na-Ali. As a consequence of ongoing erosion of the river, the historic Burhi Maa Than is on the verge of extinction.
On the other hand, the river has already eroded more than half of the land along the check dam attached to the Bhimpora Na-Ali embankment. As a result of it, several families of the area had to shift their houses to safer places.
Gripped by fear and panic, the local people approached the Lakhimpur Water Resource Division for controlling the devastation. But though the WRD approved an erosion-prevention scheme in June, it could not be implemented due to the rainy season. The local people also obstructed the department concerned from executing the scheme works during those days because there was a strong possibility of the scheme proving to be a failure if it had been implemented then. So, the RCC porcupines of the scheme meant for the prevention of erosion are still lying on the bank of the river. The problem in the area has grown only because of the non-approval of the scheme on time by the department concerned. At present, the Bhimpora-Na-Ali embankment is hardly 100 metre away from the erosion-affected areas of the river.