Shillong: The Assam government is drafting a plan to reclaim vast stretches of land swallowed by the Brahmaputra River. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Kayantol in Kamrup district and Sonka in Morigaon district this Tuesday to survey potential sites for the project.
Years of erosion shrunk the state’s available land. Yet, the river’s path shifted and left new ground in its wake. Sarma noted, "On the other hand, as the river changed its course over time, substantial land emerged from the riverbed." The government intends to turn this high-lying sediment into space for farms, factories, or housing.
The state wants to recover 2,000 bighas near the Laheshwari Temple in Hajo and another 1,000 bighas between Kachashila and Narasingha Hill. A secondary plan at Sonka targets 1,500 bighas reaching toward Ganesh Hill. These efforts could yield up to 5,000 bighas of usable ground. District commissioners are already cataloging other sites for similar work.
Sarma cautioned that success hinges on funding and deep scientific study. No work will start without that data. A large-scale project is necessary to handle the scope of the shift.
Comments