River Subansiri: Erosion renders families homeless; people demand immediate and effective measures

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Devastating erosion caused by River Subansiri continues by affecting its right embankment (35 KM and 36 KM) under Madhya Telahi and Panigaon Gaon Panchayats of Telahi Development Block in Lakhimpur district. After breaching the embankment at Chandrapur, the erosion of the river, the largest tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra, has hit new places of the same embankment at Na-Ali area under Panigaon Gaon Panchayat.

The people of the affected area have demanded the intervention of Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Pijush Hazarika and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with regard to controlling the erosion of the river in the affected area and to plug the breach of the embankment. At present, the assurance made by the WRD minister regarding the protection of the embankment in that place has gone in vain.

On September 28, the WRD Minister, arriving at the spot, declared that the Water Resources Department would adopt all measures to protect the embankment. On the other hand, the North Lakhimpur Division of the WRD has absolutely failed to control the erosion and protect the embankment. All the temporary measures implemented by the department concerned at the last moment have ended in smoke.

At present, erosion of the river has hit Na-Ali Telia Pothar Mising Chuburi portion, a few metres down to the breach. As a result of it, six families of the affected portion, headed by Manik Doley, Tutu Doley, Lalit Doley Neheru Doley, Dipen Das, were compelled to shift their residences along with the Mising Chuburi namghar on Tuesday. These families have taken shelter on the PWD Road after their land was eroded by the river. Lalit Doley and Dipen Das had to shift their shops, which were their source of income.

Notably, Sarbananda Sonowal, the then Chief Minister of the State, also visited the spot around two years ago to take stock of the erosion situation there. He also assured that effective, scientific measures would be implemented in the affected areas to control the issue. But the department concerned did not do so.

The people of the Telahi Development Block and various organizations like AASU, AJYCP, All Assam Unemployed Association have also demanded the State Government to plug the breach of the embankment at the earliest and to implement permanent and scientific measures to control the devastating erosion caused by River Subansiri. They have also demanded compensation for the affected families. The breach of the embankment has posed threat to around 45 villages under the said Development Block.

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