Marauding erosion displaces around 150 families in Dibrugarh
Kalpana Saikia, 48, who lost 25 bighas of land in erosion by river Brahmaputra was frustrated with the government’s policy of rehabilitation
A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: Kalpana Saikia, 48, who lost 25 bighas of land in erosion by river Brahmaputra was frustrated with the government's policy of rehabilitation. Saikia, has been living at Raidang area under Balijan Gaon Panchayat in Chabua revenue circle in Dibrugarh. She is now living at Pukhurijan area in PWD land.
Talking to The Sentinel, Kalpana said, "Around 150 families were displaced due to the erosion but till date no rehabilitation has been done to them. The families who have lost everything in erosion have been waiting for rehabilitation."
"Due to massive erosion from river Brahmaputra river, we have lost our land. We have lost everything due to the marauding erosion. We want permanent solution to solve the erosion which has been a 'curse' for the people of this area. If the erosion continues then Chabua will be wiped out from Assam's map," Saikia said.
Saikia further added, "Due to the marauding erosion, 150 families have become homeless." Like Kalpana Saikia, Hemsingh Suraj, 57, lost 19 bighas and 4 bihas of land in erosion. "I've lost my 19 bighas of land in Rongmola village, which was gobbled by the Brahmaputra. The village now no longer exists.
Earlier, everything was good but the erosion has changed our lives. From 1988, the erosion was started in our area and the 'hungry river' ate our land in a very short span of time. When the Siang river mixed with Brahmaputra river, the erosion started in our area because Siang river has been flowing from upper area of Arunachal Pradesh," Hemsingh Suraj told to this correspondent.
"Despite several pleas, the government took some anti-erosion measures in the area but those protection measures will not be enough to stop the erosion. The Water Resources Department is using mega-bag technology to stop the erosion but it would not be enough to stop the erosion. We want permanent solution to stop the erosion. If the government diverts the Siang river then the erosion will stop," Suraj said.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's paternal house is just 3 km away from the erosion site. The erosion is also posing serious threat to the paternal house of Sarbananda Sonowal. "The Dinjan Army camp, which is a few kilometres from the Brahmaputra, is also under serious threat of extinction.""If the erosion continues for another few years, the entire area, including Chabua, will be consumed by the Brahmaputra," said Bapi Das, a Pukherijan resident.
Recently, in an interaction with the media persons of Dibrugarh, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal showed concern about the issue and said the government has been serious with the erosion problem and taking all slew of measures. Sarbananda Sonowal also visited the affected areas and assured the people of taking all possible measures to stop the erosion.
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