NEWS & EVENTS

Jorhat and Golaghat districts are once again facing the threat of erosion from the Brahmaputra, which has devoured 800 metres of the embankment in the past eight months.

Experts and officials of the water resources department said this was because of a piecemeal “local” approach instead of a central plan. As a result, the problem is simply diverted from one area to another, they added.

This approach has led to largescale erosion in a portion of the Neemati-Hatishal anti-erosion project at Neematighat, on the northeast of Jorhat town, they said.

Officials of the water resources department said if steps were not taken soon to strengthen the eroded Neemati-Hatishal bund, Jorhat town and many areas of Golaghat would be flooded once the bund was breached.

The Neemati-Hatishal project was completed four years ago at a cost of Rs 38 crore. Started in 1996, it comprises two bullheads (pointed extensions of the spur) and three spurs, spread over a 13km stretch on the riverbank. The government had cleared a proposal to strengthen the bund last month.

Sources in the water resources department said there had been a substantial increase in water pressure in the Brahmaputra channel flowing by Neematighat because of an increase in the volume of water in the channel. This is because of the anti-erosion measures being executed on the bank opposite Neematighat, located on the southern side of Majuli, since the past four years.

They said the construction of porcupine screens had led to siltation in Sumaimari channel along Majuli, which had diverted the water flowing towards Sumaimari channel into the channel along Neematighat. The bullhead at Neematighat is facing the threat of being breached because of this increased water pressure.

The Matmora bund, which was constructed upstream in Lakhimpur district recently. has added to the problem by increasing water pressure on Neemati-Hatishal bund.

The executive engineer of Upper Assam investigation branch of water resources department, B.N. Thakuria, told this correspondent that a Rs 32.48-crore proposal to strengthen the Neemati-Hatishal bund had got clearance from the state government’s high-powered technical advisory committee last month. The department is preparing a detailed project report as directed by the committee. It is expected to submit it at the earliest.