Flood situation grim; massive erosion on in Ghunasuti area of Lakhimpur dist
NORTH LAKHIMPUR, July 22 - The flood situation in Lakhimpur district continues to be grim as heavy rain has been lashing the region resulting in the rise of water levels of all rivers and massive bank erosion in the last 24 hours.
Unabated erosion by Subansiri in historic Ghunasuti in Lakhimpur district has posed a threat to this riverine area with rich natural bio-diversity and abundant resources. Continuous erosion by Subansiri, which has been on in the last three decades, again this time with incessant rain, has displaced dozens of households in Ghunasuti.
The erosion by Subansiri has swept away 20 houses recently in Ghunasuti of Ghunasuti Gaon Panchayat under North Lakhimpur Revenue Circle. These displaced villagers are now taking shelter in makeshift sheds on a highland at Kalitachuk village of Ghunasuti.
The erosion also damaged a three-km stretch of Uriumtola-Bamunijan road in Ghunasuti snapping land communication in the entire area. Besides, the Subansiri has damaged a wider area of agriculture land in Gunasuti eroding paddy fields in No. 1 and No. 2 Naharani, Balibheta,
Misingchuk, Ujanitol, Koliyoni, Madhavpur and Tengajan villages.
Ex-Lakhimpur MLA Ghana Buragohain visited the erosion-affected areas of Ghunasuti on Sunday and met the victims. He demanded immediate construction of an agriculture bund in the affected areas so that peasants could do start their work.
The entire area of Ghunasuti is known for its fertility of soil, producing quality products of exotic rice in the summer and mustard and pulses in the winter. But the loss of agriculture lands in continuous erosion has affected its inhabitants dearly. Almost all the families in Ghunasuti have lost their agriculture lands to river bank erosion. As a result there has been a great agrarian crisis leading to shortage of foodgrains.
It may be mentioned that last year about 40 families from No. 2 Naharani and 30 families from Koliyoni were displaced in the continuous erosion by Subansiri in Ghunasuti. According to the district administration, so far 89 villages with a population of 50, 508 have been badly affected by flood in the district spread over in revenue circles of Subansiri, Dhakuakhana, Kadam, Narayanpur and Bihpuria. Crop area of 1410.05 hectares of land has also been severely affected by the flood in these revenue circles.