Subansiri erosion wreaks havoc at Ghunasuti area in Lakhimpur district

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: At a time of the pandemic COVID-19, the erosion caused by River Subansiri, the largest tributary of the mighty Brahamaputra, has once again created havoc at Ghunasuti in Lakhimpur district. At present, the demonic proportion of the devastating erosion of the river has engulfed a huge area and caused massive threat to the existence of Balibheta, No. 2 Naharani and Kaliyani villages under the Ghunasuti Gaon Panchayat.

Though the erosion was going on unabatedly in the aforementioned areas at a slow rate during the lean season too, the proportion of the devastation has increased day-by-day in the last 15 days.

Ghunasuti, the beautiful landscape on the bank of the River Subansiri, which is the background of Miri Jiyori, the masterpiece novel by ‘Upanyas Samrat’ Rajani Kanta Bordoloi, has been affected by massive erosion caused by the river for a long period. The erosion of the river has reduced the volume of Ghunasuti year after year. On the contrary, no permanent erosion-prevention measures have been taken by the State Government or by the district administration to provide respite to the people of the area.

The people and erosion victims alleged that Ghunasuti has been affected by Subansiri since 2003 and the proportion of the erosion has assumed enormous status from 2012. In the meantime, the erosion of the river has eroded away a large part of Ghnasuti Ghat, Kaliyani, Kaliyani-Baligaon and No. 2 Naharani villages. On the other hand, the 4-km long guide dam constructed in 2003 for the prevention of Subansiri flood to protect the people of 26 villages of Ghunasuti was eroded away by the river from the part of Kaliyani Baligaon to No 2 Naharani village in 2004.

Under such circumstances, the people living in the affected area have expressed apprehension that the erosion of the river will gobble down the rest of their properties in the forthcoming rainy season. So, they have demanded the district administration and State Government to implement erosion-prevention measures in the affected area before the rainy season sets in. In this regard, they also demanded Lakhimpur MLA Utpal Dutta and MP Pradan Baruah to initiate their steps to save Ghunasuti.

Also Read: BRO completes strategic bridge over Subansiri River in Arunachal Pradesh

Also Watch: Sellers take advantage of helplessness of panic stricken citizens by overpricing commodities