Assam Fights Annual Erosion as Brahmaputra Swallows 8,000 Hectares

Guwahati: Assam loses 8,000 hectares of land to river erosion every year. The Brahmaputra is eating the state alive. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the Morigaon and Kamrup districts on November 10 to inspect the damage and review government recovery plans.

Sarma is betting on a two-fold fix. He wants to reinforce weak river embankments and reclaim new land for farming and tourism. "Our strategy has two parts: strengthening embankments to protect vulnerable areas from erosion, and developing newly formed land for productive use in agriculture and tourism," Sarma stated on X.

In Morigaon, officials are eyeing three major sites. They plan to reclaim 4,000 to 5,000 bighas of land. Work kicks off soon on a 1,000-bigha project at Chanaka. Another 1,500-bigha project is already on the table. The Water Resources Department is also cleaning up stretches between Kashshila, Narsingha Hill, and Ganesh Hill to secure farms and homes.

The push extends into Kamrup district. Sarma toured the Kayatol site where the state intends to reclaim 2,000 bighas of land once submerged by the Brahmaputra. The state plans to open this space for industry, crops, and housing. Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika and Water Resources Minister Sushanta Borgohain joined the inspections to confirm the progress.