Subansiri Erosion: Mising Bodies Demand Urgent Steps

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The general secretary of the premier Mising students’ body — ‘Takam Mising Porin Kebang’ (TMPK), Padma Losan Doley on Monday expressed grave concern over the unabated massive erosion of the Subansiri River, and demanded urgent steps from the authorities concerned to combat the crisis.

The student leader expressed his concern after a river expedition on boat to inspect the actual damage caused by erosion. Three main Mising organizations — the TMPK, the ‘Mising Mimag Kebang’ (MMK) which is the community’s representative literary body, and the ‘Takam Mising Mime Kebang’ (TMMK) which is the community’s women’s organisation – had initiated the expedition on Sunday on the Subansiri River to inspect the erosion havoc caused by the river in its downstream areas. Beginning from the Chaoldhowa Ghat near the RCC Bridge over the river along NH-15, the expedition concluded at Bonpuroi-Jamuguri under Bihpuria revenue circle.

After the recent 12-day-long flash flood, massive erosion by the Subansiri River has been taking place on in its downstream areas. The largest tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra has created erosion havoc at Katari Chapori, Bhimpora, Tadang, Khalihamari, Ghunasuti, Masalsuk, Karakani, Singari, Goroimari, Hekerajan, Botomsuk, Moroliasuk, Na-Ali, Dhunaguri and Badati under several revenue circles of Lakhimpur district.

The organizations will submit a detailed report on the experiences, inspections and studies of the expedition to the State and Union Governments and will demand actions to mitigate the erosion and the flood problems of the Subansiri River on the basis of this report.

The delegation comprising leaders of the three organizations expressed concern after witnessing the erosion havoc which has been going on unabated in those areas for years on the 80-km stretch of the river basin in the downstream. The erosion of the river has assumed devastating proportion in many places by engulfing residential houses, crop areas and other properties of the riverine people.

“During the past years, though the Lakhimpur Division of the Water Resource Department implemented various erosion-protection schemes, almost all of them ended in smoke. These schemes did not come into effect to prevent erosion in almost 30 villages,” stated TMPK leader Doley while talking with this correspondent. In this regard, Doley expressed resentment at the alleged failure of a scheme taken up by the Lakhimpur Water Resource Division at Bhimpora-Hekerajan with a NABARD-sponsored fund of Rs. 7.50 crore. He added that the scheme was eroded away by the river in no time during this rainy season.

Doley further pointed out the impact of the Lower Subansiri Hydro-Electric Project, being constructed by NHPC Limited at Gerukamukh in Dhemaji-Arunachal border area, towards contributing in the increase of the erosion caused by the river. “The riverine people during the expedition informed us that the water level of the river rose and receded frequently. It is a strange phenomenon. Such frequent irregularity is harmful. We expect a study in this regard and we are also initiating a study ourselves now. We will sit with the NHPC authority regarding the matter,” he added further.

Also Read: Lakhimpur regional unit of AASU demands halt to Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project, stages sit-in