GUWAHATI, OCT 16: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday visited Maijan in upper Assam Dibrugarh and took stock of the erosion problem.
Due to constant erosion at Maijan and Nagakhuli area huge bighas of land mass were gobbled up by river Brahmaputra. Talking to reporters, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The Water Resources Department has taken some step to stop the ongoing erosion at Maijan. We will take permanent measures to solve the erosion problem but at first we have to stop the ongoing erosion. Till now, due to constant erosion huge bighas of land and many families were rendered homeless.”
“The Water Resources Department has been working and tea garden workers are helping them to stop the ongoing erosion at Maijan. After the receding of the water some anti-erosion measures can be taken. Right now we don’t know the exact dynamic of the river Brahmaputra because it is not possible to know it exact nature. After the ongoing erosion will stop and the river water will recede then permanent step will be taken to solve the erosion problem at Maijan,” Sarma asserted.
“Already huge swathes of land have been lost in the Brahmaputra erosion. Many people have become homeless. Out first priority is to stop the erosion. The water resources department is woking day and night for that. After we succeed in stopping the erosion we can think of permanent steps to solve the problem. I have asked officials to ensure longevity of the embankment,” the chief minister said.
The erosion poses serious threat to the historic Dibrugarh town. Many people were shifted to safer places after their houses were washed away in the river Brahmaputra. The chief minister was accompanied by water resources department minister Pijush Hazarika, union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Rameswar Teli, Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan, Lahowal MLA Binod Hazarika and officials of the water resources department.