Assam to build 15 wetland reservoirs across flood-prone districts to tackle floods

Guwahati, Oct 3: The Assam government has finalised 15 locations across the state to construct wetland reservoirs that will divert overflowing waters of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The initiative, approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with a first-phase funding of Rs 692 crore, aims to reduce flood devastation while creating long-term benefits such as fisheries and cultivable land.

The 15 locations identified for the first phase include Sonitpur, Jorhat (4 sites), Golaghat (4 sites), and one site each for Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Majuli, Morigaon, Tinsukia, and Kamrup Rural.

According to Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, tenders have already been floated, with work in Sonitpur progressing at the Mora Bhorolu site. Here, Rs 61.14 crore has been sanctioned to divert Brahmaputra’s waters into the wetland.

Explaining the project, Hazarika said the concept was initially criticised but has now been approved at the highest levels.

"When Amit Shah announced the idea of creating reservoirs by diverting Brahmaputra’s waters, there was criticism. But today, this solution is taking shape. We received approvals from MHA three months ago, and now work will begin in a month across 15 sites. These wetlands will be dug, embankments built, and sluice gates installed to connect them with the river. In Sonitpur, we are developing Mora Bhorolu, which will not only help flood control but later provide land for cultivation and serve as fisheries", Hazarika said.

While 15 reservoirs will be developed in the first phase, Hazarika stressed that the number would increase significantly in the coming years.

“Fifteen reservoirs are not enough to fully control floods. Our plan is to eventually expand to 300–400 reservoirs across the state,” he said.

Alongside reservoirs, Assam is also strengthening embankments with new technology. Since 1950, nearly 4,500 km of embankments have been built, and in the last five years alone, 900 km were added.

Unlike earlier mud embankments, the new structures use mega-tubes filled with sand and geo-bags to withstand erosion. This year, only three embankments were breached despite heavy rainfall in Upper Assam — a significant improvement compared to previous years.

Hazarika highlighted that embankment construction time has also reduced drastically.

“Earlier it took months, destroying large areas in the meantime. Now, we can complete embankments within 15 days,” he said.

The government has already invested nearly Rs 2,000 crore under various flood management projects. Under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sponsored works worth Rs 1,300 crore, with 80% central loans and 20% state contribution, new embankments in Dhemaji (32 km), Jorhat (8 km), Golaghat (6 km), and Sivasagar (10 km) will be built.

The state government expects the wetland reservoirs not only to mitigate floods but also to open opportunities for agriculture, aquaculture, and rural livelihoods, turning crisis-prone areas into hubs of economic activity.