Char areas in lbari face erosion threat

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

LBARI, May 15: Erosion has taken a serious turn in some villages of Barkhetri LAC in lbari district.

It has been observed that hundreds of families are shifting their homes to safer places as their land is being eroded at an alarming rate and panic has set in among the affected people as a majority of them have no clue whatsoever as to where will they would after losing their precious land and property.

“At present, erosion by Brahmaputra has taken a formidable turn in the north-western parts of Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district and the south western part of Barkhetri LAC in lbari district.

Nepalibasti under Barkhetri LAC, was one the oldest village of the char areas which was inhabited by 900 Nepali families about 20 years back. Nepali families then left the Nepalibasti and sold their land to other families belonging to the minority community. This (Nepalibasti ) char village is one of the richest such villages with alluvial land and densely wooded vegetation, including several huge arecanut gardens.

Several villages, including obajchar, Nepalibasti, etc., under Barkhetri LAC had already been eroded away completely and several other villages such as Laopara, Dairy Farm (Kurihamari) village are also getting eroded year after year, but not a single anti-erosion project has been implemented till date.

It may be mentioned 15 sq km char area of Barkhetri LAC in lbari district have already got eroded by the Brahmaputra in the past 15 years, rendering over 10,000 families landless and homeless, but not a single measure has been taken by the government in this regard.

The public has demanded of the government to launch immediate anti-erosion measures to protect the char areas from eroding further.