Erosion takes serious turn at bil-nkey area in Sonitpur district

From a Correspondent

Tezpur, October 14: The erosion problem caused by the River Gabharu, one of the major tributaries of the mighty Brahmaputra, is taking a serious turn in the bil-nkey area falling under the Pub-Bargaon Panchayat in Barchala LAC in Sonitpur district for the last couple of days, rendering over 60 families homeless who have been forced take shelter in different places of Thelamara and Dhekiajuli area.

 More importantly, every year, at the advent of the summer season, the people of Sonitpur district, particularly those living on the banks of the tributaries of River Brahmaputra like Gabharu, Jiabharali, Dipota, Belsiri and Pachnoi have to face the threat posed by flood and erosion caused by these rivers. Flood and erosion have been causing untold miseries to thousands of people in Sonitpur district since the past several years as these rivers have already washed away lakhs of bighas of cropland and residential plots. Meanwhile, the people living in the riverine areas of Gohpur, Biswath, Tezpur, Barchala and Dhekiajuli LACs have expressed strong resentment over the alleged indifferent attitude of the government and the public representatives towards this serious issue.

Over 1,000-km area had been eroded in Sonitpur district by the tributaries of the Brahmaputra till the recent summer season. Sources revealed that during the last 15 years of the Congress rule in the State, crores of rupees have been spent in a bid to check the problem, but no positive result has come out as works relating to the repair and reconstruction of embankments as well as rehabilitation of homeless people have not allegedly been undertaken properly. However, many victims while sharing their problems said that seeking a change they voted for the BJP, but till date there has been no any positive feedback and many of their problems are yet to be addressed properly.

Goma Devi, who besides other residents of bil area, has been haunted by the fury of erosion of River Gabharu, alleged that since the problem took  a serious turn the authority concerned, including the Circle Officer of Thelamara circle, Liza Talukdar, local MLA Ganesh Kumar Limbu and the district administration had been informed, but no response was received. “Moreover, a couple of months ago we intimated the district administration for checking the problem, but showing lack of fund the problem was neglected for which today we have been rendered homeless,” Goma Devi lamented and urged the authority concerned to deal with the issue seriously without any delay for a permanent solution to the problem so that the mentioned villages having more than 190 families could be saved from the ongoing serious erosion problem.

Moreover, according to latest reports collected from the department concerned, hundreds of people displaced due to the flood and erosion in Gohpur and its adjoining places, where more than 400 metres of land has been eroded at Arimora Suti, Paken and Saraibahi under Gohpur subdivision, are yet to be rehabilitated. On the other hand, more than 2-km distance area in Behali-Silmari area under Biswath subdivision that has been affected by flood and erosion, is still lying neglected even by the present BJP government.  Likewise, a 7-km area at Panpur in Biswath, a 6-km area from Biswath to Solmari, and a one-and-a-half km area at Bhoojmari have been eroded till date. Land area measuring at least 50 km from Bhumuraguri to Jahajghat, and at Parbatia, Gabharu, Singri, Teligaon and Sitolmari under Tezpur and Barchala LACs has been eroded. On the other hand, the Jiabharali River that has been a curse for the people of the greater pam and Panchmile area, has eroded 12.50 km of land till date. Available statistics received from the office concerned denote that a 2-km area in Bordikorai, 3-km area from Samdhora to Orang Basti, one-and-a-half km area at Singitoli, 2-km area from Dikoraijan to Kuttamora, 1-km area at Kurukani and about 3-km area have been eroded at Rajgar-Tengakhuti area due to erosion caused by the Jiabharali River. Moreover, due to the erosion caused by the Gabharu River, including the ongoing erosion, a 500-metre area at Barbil, one-km area at Meghaijarani, and more that 700-metre area at bil have been eroded.

The Belsiri River under the Dhekiajuli Revenue Circle caused severe erosion in almost 2-km distance at Keherokhunda, Besimari, Khagorijan and adjoining areas. Records says that already more than 25 families of Uttar Khagori Jan and lini Duba area under the Thelamara GP have been displaced after more than 50 bighas of crop and residential land owned by them were washed away by the Belsiri River.

“Due to ubated erosion, residents of these two villages have been affected and the agencies concerned are yet to come forward to assist them,” alleged some victim families, adding that though erosion threatens lakhs of bighas of farming land, schools, temples, government offices and houses, the departments concerned of the State Government have not been seen taking any proper measures to check the problem. On the other hand, funds worth crores of rupees for the implementation of anti-erosion schemes have not been effectively utilized. Reports of rampant corruption have come to light, while there are allegations of misappropriation of crores of government fund for executing anti-erosion scheme. The project concerned was the Barbil-Meghaijarani embankment repair scheme to protect the greater Barbil-Meghaijarani area under the Dhekiajuli LAC. It is pertinent to mention here that a scheme of Rs 1.04 crore was prepared by the Water Resource Department to save about 40 villages including Barbil, Meghaijarani, Ulubari, Ghatwa, Bamunpukhuri, Gabharupar and Patiapukhuri. But there are allegations that a major part of the allotted fund has been siphoned off.

“We humbly urge the people concerned to be honest in dealing with issues related to tragedies of people like us,” many flood and erosion victims reiterated.