Devastating erosion of River Subansiri: People stage massive protest

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The people of Na-Kadam Gaon Panchayat (GP) staged massive protest programme on Monday demanding implementation of scientific ersion prevention measures to control devastating erosion caused by the River Subansiri, the largest tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra.

The character of the River Subansiri, after setting up of the 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project being constructed by NHPC Limited at Gerukamukh, has changed gradually and the river has caused ravaging erosion at various places in its course in Lakhimpur district. Of late, the river has wreaked havoc at Haridas under the aforementioned GP of Kadam Revenue Circle with its ravaging erosion. At No. 2 Haridas village, the river has been engulfing several hundred hectares of cropland and taken the shape of a bow. In this way, the river is advancing towards the residential areas, leaving behind its old course, by issuing treats to the properties of the riverine people.

Despite such circumstances, neither the district administration nor the Water Resources Division has allegedly implemented no erosion prevention measures at the affected areas till date. At present, the river has posed threat to more than twenty villages under Bodhakora area, located nearer to the erosion affected place, namely Haridas, Berkep, Sonowal Gaon, Maj-Gaon etc.

At this, the local public have expressed vehement resentment against the district administration and the State Government. On Monday, the aggrieved people took to the bank of the river near the erosion-affected place and staged rocking protest to demand implementation of immediate erosion prevention measures. During the demonstration, the protesters shouted slogans against local MLA Naba Kumar Doley and the incumbent government alleging their failure to mitigate the erosion of the river. The protesters criticized the Na-Kadam GP too for initiating no steps to address the issue. They have threatened that they would initiate serial, intensified stir until and unless the government fulfills their demand.

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