TEZPUR, July 3 - Every year during the rainy season, the people living on the bank of rivers such as Gabharu, Jiabharali, Dipota, Belsiri, Pachnoi, Sopai etc., in Sonitpur district have to confront the threats posed by flood and erosion caused by these rivers.
Flood and erosion have been causing untold miseries to thousands of people in Sonitpur district since the past several years as these rivers have already eroded thousands of bighas of cropland and residential plots. Moreover, after a number of culverts on the Batashipur connecting road were washed away in the floods, the people of the greater area are facing a major communication problem. Besides this, the houses of hundreds of people in Chenimari village are still under water.
The people living in the riverine areas of many areas in the district, particularly in Bardubi, Solmari and Kothalduba area under Dhekiajuli revenue circle and in Nabil-Nankey area and in Khagorijan area under Thelamara revenue circle have expressed their strong resentment over the alleged indifferent attitude of the Government and the local public representatives towards this serious issue. �Till date no one from the department concerned or the local public representative has visited our area to take stock of the situation,� flood and erosion victims alleged.
Records reveal that till the last summer season, over a 200 sq km area was eroded in Sonitpur district by the major tributaries of river Brahmaputra between Gohpur to Dhekiajuli. Moreover, it is a matter of extreme regret that in the 15 years of Congress rule in the State, in this belt the department concerned spent crores of rupees to check the flood and erosion problem, but there was no positive result mainly due to the alleged misappropriation of the allotted funds.
It is to be stated here that the people of the Bardubi, Solmari and Kothalduba area under Dhekiajuli revenue circle have been passing sleepless nights as already many bighas of cropland and residential plots have been eroded in the last few days. In the Nabil-Nankey area, due to the flood and erosion fury caused by the Gabharu river, many people have been displaced. People of the area alleged that during the 2016-17 financial year an allocation of Rs 50 lakh was made to check the erosion problem. But due to the siphoning of the lion�s share of the allotted fund by the contractor concerned in nexus with the departmental officers, poor quality work was executed in the area with the result that the problem remained as such, compounding the woes of the local public. Sources also revealed that a large area in Gohpur and its adjoining places has been affected by flood and erosion. Hundreds of people have been displaced and more than 300 metres of land have been eroded at Arimora Suti, Paken and Saraibahi under the Gohpur subdivision. Water Resources Department sources disclosed that more than a 2-sq km area has been eroded by the Brahmaputra in the Behali-Silmari area in Biswanath.
Similarly, more than 4-sq km area at Panpur in Biswanath, a 5-sq km area from Biswanath to Solmari, and a one-and-a-half sq km area at Bhoojmari have been eroded. Land area measuring at least 28 sq km from Bhumuraguri to Jahajghat, and at Parbatia, Gabharu, Singri, Teligaon and Sitolmari under Tezpur and Barchala LACs have been eroded.
On the other hand, the Jiabharali has eroded 12.50 sq km of land. Available statistics reveal that a 2-sq km area in Bordikorai, 3-sq km area from Samdhora to Orang Basti, one-and-a-half sq km area at Singitoli, 2-sq km area from Dikoraijan to Kuttamora, 1-sq km area at Kurukani and about 3-sq km area have been eroded at Rajgar-Tengakhuti area due to erosion caused by the Jiabharali river. The Belsiri river under the Dhekiajuli Revenue Circle has caused severe erosion in an almost 2-sq km area at Keherokhunda, Besimari, Khagorijan and adjoining areas.
People of the area said that more than 25 families of Uttar Khagori Jan and Nalini Duba village under the Thelamara GP and Dhekiajuli Revenue Circle have been displaced after more than 50 bighas of crop and residential land owned by them were washed away by the Belsiri river. �Due to unabated erosion, residents of these two villages have been severely affected as the agencies concerned are yet to come forward to assist them,� people of the area alleged. Though erosion threatens lakhs of bighas of farming land, schools, temples, government offices and houses, the departments concerned have not taken any proper measures to check the problem, other local residents alleged.
TEZPUR, July 3 - Every year during the rainy season, the people living on the bank of rivers such as Gabharu, Jiabharali, Dipota, Belsiri, Pachnoi, Sopai etc., in Sonitpur district have to confront the threats posed by flood and erosion caused by these rivers.
Flood and erosion have been causing untold miseries to thousands of people in Sonitpur district since the past several years as these rivers have already eroded thousands of bighas of cropland and residential plots. Moreover, after a number of culverts on the Batashipur connecting road were washed away in the floods, the people of the greater area are facing a major communication problem. Besides this, the houses of hundreds of people in Chenimari village are still under water.
The people living in the riverine areas of many areas in the district, particularly in Bardubi, Solmari and Kothalduba area under Dhekiajuli revenue circle and in Nabil-Nankey area and in Khagorijan area under Thelamara revenue circle have expressed their strong resentment over the alleged indifferent attitude of the Government and the local public representatives towards this serious issue. �Till date no one from the department concerned or the local public representative has visited our area to take stock of the situation,� flood and erosion victims alleged.
Records reveal that till the last summer season, over a 200 sq km area was eroded in Sonitpur district by the major tributaries of river Brahmaputra between Gohpur to Dhekiajuli. Moreover, it is a matter of extreme regret that in the 15 years of Congress rule in the State, in this belt the department concerned spent crores of rupees to check the flood and erosion problem, but there was no positive result mainly due to the alleged misappropriation of the allotted funds.
It is to be stated here that the people of the Bardubi, Solmari and Kothalduba area under Dhekiajuli revenue circle have been passing sleepless nights as already many bighas of cropland and residential plots have been eroded in the last few days. In the Nabil-Nankey area, due to the flood and erosion fury caused by the Gabharu river, many people have been displaced. People of the area alleged that during the 2016-17 financial year an allocation of Rs 50 lakh was made to check the erosion problem. But due to the siphoning of the lion�s share of the allotted fund by the contractor concerned in nexus with the departmental officers, poor quality work was executed in the area with the result that the problem remained as such, compounding the woes of the local public. Sources also revealed that a large area in Gohpur and its adjoining places has been affected by flood and erosion. Hundreds of people have been displaced and more than 300 metres of land have been eroded at Arimora Suti, Paken and Saraibahi under the Gohpur subdivision. Water Resources Department sources disclosed that more than a 2-sq km area has been eroded by the Brahmaputra in the Behali-Silmari area in Biswanath.
Similarly, more than 4-sq km area at Panpur in Biswanath, a 5-sq km area from Biswanath to Solmari, and a one-and-a-half sq km area at Bhoojmari have been eroded. Land area measuring at least 28 sq km from Bhumuraguri to Jahajghat, and at Parbatia, Gabharu, Singri, Teligaon and Sitolmari under Tezpur and Barchala LACs have been eroded.
On the other hand, the Jiabharali has eroded 12.50 sq km of land. Available statistics reveal that a 2-sq km area in Bordikorai, 3-sq km area from Samdhora to Orang Basti, one-and-a-half sq km area at Singitoli, 2-sq km area from Dikoraijan to Kuttamora, 1-sq km area at Kurukani and about 3-sq km area have been eroded at Rajgar-Tengakhuti area due to erosion caused by the Jiabharali river. The Belsiri river under the Dhekiajuli Revenue Circle has caused severe erosion in an almost 2-sq km area at Keherokhunda, Besimari, Khagorijan and adjoining areas.
People of the area said that more than 25 families of Uttar Khagori Jan and Nalini Duba village under the Thelamara GP and Dhekiajuli Revenue Circle have been displaced after more than 50 bighas of crop and residential land owned by them were washed away by the Belsiri river. �Due to unabated erosion, residents of these two villages have been severely affected as the agencies concerned are yet to come forward to assist them,� people of the area alleged. Though erosion threatens lakhs of bighas of farming land, schools, temples, government offices and houses, the departments concerned have not taken any proper measures to check the problem, other local residents alleged.
