KHUMTAI, Aug 25 � Erosion in the northern bank of the river Dhansiri in Khumtai area is posing a grave threat to the farming community. The erosion seems to have started from the Haotoleyghat to Purani Kamargaon on the northern most boundary of the NRL plant.
Though the railway authorities made spurs to protect the Furkating-Marioni railway track in Haotoly area, the department concerned of the State government has taken no steps till now to protect the rest of the affected area, which covers to approximately 20 km.
The erosion has created danger for the people inhabiting in Butalikhowa, Bogorioni, Haladhibari, Letekuchapori, Chungihola, Changkola, Choukona, Thengalgaon and Purani Kamargaon villages. The inhabitants, who are largely cultivators having no other means of livelihood, find themselves in an unimaginable situation as their crop fields are being gobbled up by the mighty Dhansiri day by day. Some of them have already lost their ancestral land. No spur, porcupine or even a bamboo frame has been installed at the vulnerable points of the river bank to contain erosion. Some people of that area alleged that the mushroom growth of brick kiln industry has added fuel to the fire, since the soil of the river banks are being sliced away disproportionately for making bricks for a long time. Recently, a team of the Golaghat branch of the Asom Yuba Parishad submitted a memorandum to Golaghat DC to protect the people from erosions in Khumtai area.
