GOHPUR, July 25 - Rampant floods and erosion have posed a serious threat to the very existence of many places in Sonitpur district causing untold miseries to thousands of people. It has already been reported that the Brahmaputra and its tributaries like Jiabharali, Gabharu and Belsiri have already eroded thousands of bighas of cropland and residential plots. Already thousands of people of Gohpur, Biswanath, Tezpur, Barchala and Dhekiajuli LACs under Sonitpur and Biswanath districts have been rendered homeless losing their homes and hearths and these victims have expressed their strong resentment over the alleged indifferent attitude of government and even the local public representatives towards this issue.
Inputs gathered from various sources here reveal that over 100 km area has been eroded in the district by the aforementioned rivers till date and during the last many years, crores of rupees have been spent for checking the problem but there has been no positive result. Records also say that Gohpur and its adjoining areas are affected by floods and erosion caused by mighty Brahmaputra and other rivers like Buroi and Satrang. More importantly, the large-scale erosion caused by the Buroi river under Gohpur subdivision in Biswanath district has taken a more serious turn in the last few days.
Due to this fury, villages like Buroighat, Pachim Takoubari, Nanke Bihmari and Baligaon are the worst affected. The local people, All Gorkha Students� Union, Buroighat Unnayan Samiti and Buroighat Mahila Unnayan Samiti alleged that the sand-gravel mahals at Ramghat under the Department of Forest were the main reason behind this erosion. Though the mahals were closed later, no preventive measure was taken. A team of AGSU members visited the affected areas and took stock of the situation there. The erosion has also posed threat to the railway bridge near NH-15 at Buroighat. It is feared that the railway bridge may be washed away at any moment by the surging water of the Buroi river. The people have now constructed bamboo porcupines to get rid of the erosion.
It is worth mentioning here that more than 2 km long stretch of land has been eroded by river Brahmaputra in Behali-Silmari area in Biswanath Chariali. Likewise, a four km stretch in Panpur in Biswanath, 5 km from Biswanath to Solmari, 1� km in Bhoojmari have been eroded by Brahmaputra river, while in Tezpur from Bhumuraguri to Jahajghat, Parbatia, Gabharu, Singri, Teligaon and Sitolmari areas falling under Tezpur and Barchala LACs in Sonitpur at least 28 km have been eroded by river Brahmaputra. The Jiabharali river has eroded 12.50 km land. (2 km in Bordikorai, 3 km from Samdhora to Orang basti, 1� km in Singitoli, 2 km from Dikoraijan to Kuttamora, 1 km in Kurukani and about 3 km land have been eroded in Rajgar-Tengakhuti area). Moreover, due to the erosion caused by the Gabharu under Barchala LAC, 500 metres in Barbil, 1 km in Meghaijarani, and 700 metres in Nabil area have already been eroded. The Belsiri river under Dhekiajuli revenue circle in Sonitpur district has caused severe erosion in almost 2 km stretch along in Keherokhunda, Besimari and its adjoining areas. Different organisations have urged the government to take necessary steps to check this unending problem and rehabilitate the flood and erosion-affected people.
