MIRZA, July 5 - The tall claims of the State Government on protecting the people living in the riverine areas has fallen flat on its face as the recurring flood and erosion problem is yet to be sorted out.
Sources said that formidable erosion of the Brahmaputra river has been reported in several villages of Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district but the concerned authorities have been turning a deaf ear to the erosion menace and the concerned machineries have failed to launch immediate measures to protect the erosion-affected areas.
A team of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) led by Pankaj Lochan Goswami, secretary, AGP, Kamrup District Committee visited the worst-erosion-affected areas of Futuri, Bartari and Makadhuj villages under Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district on July 2 (Sunday). Residents of Futuri and Bartari villages apprised the AGP team about the formidable erosion and requested the team to take urgent steps to take up the issue with Assam Water Resources Minister, Keshab Mahanta � who is a minister from the AGP and urge him to take urgent steps to launch anti-erosion measures to protect the people from erosion.
Talking to ANN Service, AGP leader Pankaj Lochan Goswami said that erosion of Brahmaputra river has taken a formidable turn at the Land Spur No. 1 located at Futuri village under PGP (WR) Division in Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district and a huge plot of agricultural land located in the left (west side ) of the land spur No. 1 (at Futuri village) has already been eroded during the last one month.
�Over 23 metres of the crucial Land Spur No. 1 located at Futuri village under Palasbari LAC has already been eroded by erosion, threatening the crucial Land spur No. 1 (at Futuri) ,� he said and added that anti-erosion measures have not been taken so far to fight the erosion at the Land spur No. 1 and its adjoining areas of Futuri, Bartari and Makadhuj villages of Palasbari LAC.
Villagers have apprised the AGP team that the crucial Land Spur No. 1� an anti-erosion infrastructure constructed in 1985-86 which is considered as the lifeline of thousands of families of South Kamrup � is on the verge of being eroded /washed away by the erosion of the Brahmaputra river in a short time if adequate anti-erosion measures are not taken to protect the crucial Land Spur No. 1.
The AGP team also visited the erosion affected Abhipara (Bartari) village under PGP (WR) Division under Palasbari LAC and took stock of the erosion situation there.
AGP team leader Pankaj Lochan Goswami told this correspondent that a major plot of agricultural land has already been eroded in the last one year at Abhipara (Bartari ) village and the concerned PGP ( WR) Division has not taken adequate measures to curb erosion in those areas.
The AGP team assured the erosion-ravaged families that it will immediately meet the Assam Water Resources Minister, Keshab Mahanta and ask him to launch projects to deal with the erosion menace at the affected villages of Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district.
Sources said that formidable erosion has also been reported at Makadhuj village under Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district and the Water Resources Department has failed to protect the concerned people from erosion. Around a 500 metre stretch of the Palasbari-Gumi embankment at Makadhuj village is located only 50-60 metres away from the erosion site in Brahmaputra river and it is apprehended that the Palasbari-Gumi embankment, which is protecting hundreds of villages from floods, would be breached this year at Makadhuj village if adequate anti-erosion projects are not implemented at Makadhuj area.
In the year 2015-16, erosion of the Brahmaputra river has eroded the habitations of over 15 families of Makadhuj village and the concerned machinery has been showing a step-motherly treatment to the plight of the affected families, sources said.
Erosion of the Brahmaputra has also been posing threat to the Simina and Guimara villages under Palasbari LAC in Kamrup district. During the last three years, nine families of Simina village and 33 families of Guimara village had lost their habitations to erosion of the Brahmaputra river, sources said.
