One of the key reasons for the annual deluge in Assam is the high percentage of flood-prone regions. According to the Rashtriya Barh Ayog (RBA) or National Flood Commission, 31.05 lakh hectares of the total 78.52 lakh hectares of the state is vulnerable to frequent floods. The reasons behind this high percentage of flood-prone areas are both man-made and natural. Assam and some other parts of the Northeastern region of India are susceptible to frequent earthquakes that cause landslides. The landslides and earthquakes send in a lot of debris in the rivers, causing the riverbed to rise.
Assam has also faced bank erosion around the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers as well as their tributaries. It is estimated that annually nearly 8000 hectares of land are lost to erosion. Bank erosion has also affected the width of the Brahmaputra River, which has increased up to 15 km. The cost of damage due to bank erosion is estimated to be of several hundred crores every year. Among the man-made reasons, the key cause of floods in the Assam region is the release of water from dams situated uphill. Unregulated release of water floods the Assam plains, leaving thousands homeless every year. Encroachment in forestlands and water bodies is another reason that causes floods in the state.
Looking at the grim situation, the Centre had sanctioned a project of Brahmaputra dredging during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first term. However, sources point out that the project is yet to begin. The project involves dredging a stretch of 891 kms of Brahmaputra from Sadiya in the north to Dhubri in the south of the state. The entire project, which also includes the construction of the Brahmaputra Expressway on both sides of the river, would cost Rs 40,000 crores. However, it is still in the planning stage.
Speaking about the project, the Assam Minister of Irrigation Department, Revenue & Disaster Management, Bhabesh Kalita said, “The project was announced by the Centre and the implementation process has been started.”
Assam is battling twin disasters of floods and coronavirus this year. Floods, triggered by heavy monsoon rain, have killed 20 people and forced lakhs to flee their homes. The Brahmaputra River in Guwahati is flowing above the danger level and more rain is likely in the next few days.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, 23 of the state’s 33 districts are affected, the worst being Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Udalgiri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri Goalpara and Kamrup. Over 9.5 lakh people in the state are badly hit by the floods. The state government has set up 144 relief camps and over 28,500 people have been shifted there. “The flood situation remains extremely grave as several embankments have breached,” Assam Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta said. Most of the Kaziranga National Park is also underwater according to authorities. Central forces are deployed across Assam for rescue operations to ensure that COVID-19 measures are followed in the relief camps. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma about the flood situation in the state.
Several parts of Assam have been hit by the ongoing floods and around 15 lakh people across 23 districts were affected. The death toll stood at 27 as on June 30. Barpeta continues to be the worst-hit district followed by South Salmara and Nalbari. The flood has affected crops on more than 75,700 hectares of land. It has also affected about 20 lakh domestic animals and poultry. Around 265 relief camps have been set up in 21 districts where 25,461 people have taken shelter. National Disaster Response Force & State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed for rescue services in flood-affected areas. The floods have also affected the operations to control the blowout & fire at Oil India Limited in Tinsukia. The oil well is still ablaze, though controlled, after its blowout on May 27.
The rising water of the Brahmaputra, Beki, Nakhanda, Marachawlkhowa, Bhelengi, Pahumara and Kaldiya rivers has flooded most of the villages of the district. The flood situation in Barpeta district turned grim following heavy rainfall. 597 villages of different revenue circles of Barpeta district have been affected by the flood. In Kalgachiya revenue circle 64 villages, in Barpeta 28, in Chenga 64, in Sarupeta 78, in Sarthebari 128 villages, in Baghbar 141, in Bajali 89 and Barnagar revenue circle, five villages have been affected by the flood. In the district, a total of 5,94,753 people have been affected.
In Barpeta and Bajali subdivision, a total of 377 relief camps have been set up. So far, 29,755 hectare cropland has been affected by the flood. Total 62 PWD roads have submerged in water. Meanwhile, an 8-year old boy named Afjal Hussain died due to drowning in the Baghmara char area. Dalimi Das of Howly also met a watery grave. Barpeta is one of the disastrous flood-prone districts of Assam. The district is prone to serve flood hazard by the rivers Manas, Beki, Pahumara, Kaldia and their tributaries. The flood havoc is more pronounced if simultaneously the mighty Brahmaputra is in spate.
The measures taken so far to mitigate flood problem in the district are now proved inadequate. The main structural measures taken by the Government of Assam to mitigate flood hazard in the district include the construction of earthen embankments, raised platforms and bank erosion and protecting works. Four major rivers are contributing to flood havoc in the district. The total length of embankments on these rivers viz., Manas, Beki, Pahumara and Kaldia is about 262 kms. It has been observed that the percentage of the affected area due to the breach in the embankments is increasing. From 1976 to 1985 around 30 major anti-erosion works were completed. However, during recent years flood damages seem to go on increasing year after year. A mixture of structural and non-structural measures is thought to be the most successful one for mitigation of flood hazard in the district. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has offered United Nations (UN) assistance to India and other flood-affected countries in the region.
[The writer is Asst Professor, Dept. Of English, Uttar Barpeta College, Barpeta, Assam]