Unused Erosion Control Bags Rot in Assam as Riverbanks Collapse

Guwahati: Lakhs of geo bags sit idle at a Water Resources Department inspection bungalow near Simina Chowk in Kamrup district. These materials have remained stacked in the open at Chulikata for three years. Weeds now choke the stockpile. Erosion continues to chew through vulnerable riverbanks in Simina, Guimara, and Gumi under the Palasbari constituency.

Residents watch their land and homes disappear. They demand answers regarding why these resources stay put while the Brahmaputra ravages the area. Locals accused authorities of poor planning and management. They want Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to launch an inquiry into the delay. Residents claimed, "the large stock of geo bags remained unattended despite the continuing erosion in the region."

The materials were originally purchased for an Asian Development Bank-assisted project managed by Brahmaputra Infrastructure Limited. A department official claimed that 90 per cent of the Palasbari work is done. They insist the 2.5 lakh geo bags are still in good condition. The department plans to move the stock to Chhaygaon and Boko for future phases. Public patience is wearing thin as the river claims more ground every season.