IIT Guwahati to study Brahmaputra River erosion; over 4.27-L ha lost since 1950
The annual average loss of land is nearly 8000 ha.
IIT Guwahati will carry out the study on the erosion from Arunachal Pradesh to Bangladesh Border
Guwahati, June 22: Brahmaputra Board chairman Dr Ranbir Singh has said that IIT Guwahati will carry out a study on the erosion caused by the Brahmaputra river from Arunachal Pradesh to the Bangladesh border.
“The study, to be conducted in collaboration with North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute (NEHARI), will seek to identify the vulnerable stretches, which are more prone to erosion and suggest mitigation strategies,” Dr Singh told reporters after the 85th meeting of the Board on Friday.
Bank erosion by the rivers has been a serious issue since last six decades as more than 4.27 lakh hectares of land was already eroded by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries since 1950, which is 7.40 per cent of total area of the State. As assessed, the annual average loss of land is nearly 8000 ha.
The river Brahmaputra has a tendency of shifting southward due to various geo-tectonic and seismic instabilities of the region. It is found that during the last 50 years nearly 100 sq km of an area was eroded in the southern part of Goalpara district alone. The intensity of shifting is very high mostly in the lower Brahmaputra Valley including western margin of the districts of Goalpara, South Salmara Mankachar and Dhubri.
The Brahmaputra Board also approved a project to construct a new building of the institute on the premises of its existing office in the city.
“The present campus is old and was built in 1980. It is in a dilapidated condition. A new building has been approved by the Board,” Dr Singh said. CPWD will execute the project at an estimated cost of Rs 240 crore.
The Board also decided to conduct a study on the urban flooding problem of Dimapur town.
Dr Singh said the Board has prepared master plans of 52 rivers and another 21 were under preparation. The old master plans are also being updated.
“DPRs for about a dozen multi-purpose projects including those in the Siang, Subansiri, Dibang, Lohit, Jia Dhal are being prepared. Some of the projects have already come up, while some DPRs are being revised by Central PSUs and state governments,” he added.
Members of nine basin states participated in the discussions on Friday and gave their suggestions. The meeting also reviewed the activities of the Board and the current status of the projects.
By
Staff Reporter