Brahmaputra Board Reviews Regional Water and Flood Management Projects

Guwahati: The Brahmaputra Board held its 88th meeting in Guwahati on Friday to evaluate integrated water resource management across the Brahmaputra and Barak river basins. The session brought together officials from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, NITI Aayog, the Central Water Commission, and various state government representatives to discuss critical infrastructure and environmental initiatives.

Discussions focused on advancing river basin master plans, which currently cover 15 sub-basins across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland. These projects utilize modern survey techniques, GIS-based planning, and hydrological modelling to manage water resources. The board reviewed ongoing sedimentation assessments for the Siang and Dibang basins, currently being led by IIT Guwahati, alongside efforts to mitigate soil erosion and flooding in the Barak region.

The board called for the rapid development of detailed project reports for vulnerable zones. An official statement noted that the meeting underlined the importance of "adopting scientific methods for sediment management and river stabilisation." Beyond structural controls, participants examined a new draft policy framework for managing the riverine islands found throughout the Brahmaputra River to ensure sustainable land and water use.