JORHAT, Dec 13 - To place their demands of protecting Majuli from massive erosion, initiating action to place it in the list of World Heritage Sites and to formulate a plan for construction of a road bridge over the Brahmaputra from Neamatighat to the river island, a group of senior citizens, satradhikars and representatives of organisations today left for New Delhi.
�We will meet Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharati and Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari tomorrow. Besides placing the demand of protecting our river island from erosion, we will strongly urge both the ministers to take initiatives to construct a road bridge between Jorhat and Majuli. We also seek the Central government�s action so that Majuli gets the tag of a World Heritage Site,� said Janardan Deva Goswami, Satradhikar of Uttar Kamalabari Satra.
Asked about any plan to meet the Prime Minister, he said they would place their demands before the two
Union Ministers concerned. �We will invite the Prime Minister to visit our river island. But the demands of solving the problems will be placed before the two ministers,� the satradhikar said.
The Satradhikar of Auniati Satra, Dr Pitambar Deva Goswami is also accompanying the group.
It is to be mentioned that during her visit to the river island in February this year, Uma Bharati had assured of putting her official weight behind the ongoing effort to place �treasure island� Majuli in the World Heritage Site map.
In order to make surface communication easier and smoother between Jorhat town and Majuli subdivision, satradhikars, local representatives of organisations like the AASU, AJYCP, TMPK and several senior citizens also urged the Union Minister to initiate construction of a road bridge over the Brahmaputra river from Neamatighat in Jorhat. At present, ferry service is the only mode of communication between Majuli and Jorhat although often risky.
