River Bolahi erosion poses a threat to villages across Dhakuakhana

LAKHIMPUR: The extensive erosion caused by River Bolahi has wreaked havoc at Dewoliya Gaon Panchayat (GP) area under Dhakuakhana subdivision in Lakhimpur district. The people of Rupahi and Kathani villages under the said GP have been suffering a lot since 5-6 years due to the erosion caused by the river. The erosion of the river has already engulfed the residential areas of four-five families of the villages. Moreover, many families living in the two villages had to lose their crop lands because of the erosion caused by the river.

Despite such circumstances, no fruitful erosion-prevention measure has been implemented as yet in the affected areas. Significantly, though several schemes were implemented during the past years in the name of controlling the erosion of the river, they always ended in smoke. It is alleged that a section of contractors and Panchayati Raj Institution members has allegedly used these schemes as a medium of earning profit while taking advantage of the simplicity and ignorance of the people living in the two villages. But the erosion-affected people have not been able to reap the benefits of the implemented schemes.

At present, as the rainy season has set in, the river has caused massive erosion in several parts of the affected villages. The ongoing erosion has posed a threat to the Rupahi Siva Mandir-Kathani Gaon connecting road and as a result, the GP implemented an erosion-prevention scheme some days back engaging four contractors in order to install bamboo spars. In this regard, the villagers alleged that though the contractors had installed the bamboo spars, most of them were eroded away by the river as the bamboo spar installation technique was not supportive to prevent erosion.

Under such circumstances, the people of the villages have been compelled to live in constant fear of losing their homes and property due to the unabated erosion caused by the river. They have demanded Dhakuakhana MLA and Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Naba Kumar Doley and the State Government to implement scientific erosion-prevention measures for permanent solution to the problem.

Also watch: Evening Bulletin | 23rd June, 2020