Brahmaputra perilously close to Majuli village

Island sends erosion SOS

WASIM RAHMAN

Jorhat, Aug 1: The Majuli administration has sent out SOS calls to Dispur and the Brahmaputra Board as massive erosion is threatening several villages under different gaon panchayats on the island.

Sources in the Majuli sub-divisional administration said Puhardia village under Kamalabari gaon panchayat was the worst hit. The Brahmaputra, which was 500 metres away from the village a few months ago, is now only about 200 metres away.

Majuli’s recent floods have augmented the erosion because the rising water level softened the riverbank. Other villages like Palasani, Pokimari, Sumai-mari, Bhakat Chapori and Sunia Chapori under Kamalabari and Dakhin Kamalabari gaon panchayats have also been severely affected, the sources said.

Erosion is also threatening the Bengenati and Auniati xatras, two of the oldest xatras on the island. People of the affected areas are urging the administration to take emergency steps to save their land and property.

Majuli sub-divisional officer (Civil) S.R. Khanikar told The Telegraph that after visiting the affected areas, he has sent urgent messages to the Brahmaputra Board and Dispur through the Jorhat district administration. Khanikar said about 40 families of Puhurdia villages have been badly affected.

The SDO said he has urged the Brahmaputra Board officials to immediately start work in the affected areas.

He said he has asked the board to lay porcupine dampers on the riverbank in the affected areas and if work begins immediately, the situation may be brought under control.

Khanikar said there was no need to evacuate people from Puhardia as of now, but if the erosion continues unabated, then such a step might have to be taken. Finding an alternative site to shift the villagers would be a Herculean task because land is scarce here, he added.

Erosion has left 2,097 families homeless. These families have been living in makeshift camps on the banks for the past 15 years, awaiting rehabilitation.

In the latest bout of floods, about 500 families lost their houses in the Salmora area of Majuli. Governor J.B. Patnaik, during his visit to the island, had asked the administration to relocate the families inside or outside the island. He had suggested setting up 10 villages and rehabilitating 50 families in each village.

However, the administration has not been able to find land to relocate the families. Proposals to shift people to chaporis (sandbars) around the island are not accepted by the people, as chaporis are known to sink within a short interval of time.