The Brahmaputra River in Dibrugarh’s Mohanaghat area experienced significant erosion on Tuesday evening, with approximately 70 metres of land along the riverbank being devoured in just five hours. The erosion, which occurred between 4 pm and 9 pm, has caused concern among residents of nearby riverside villages.
The district administration has taken immediate action to contain the erosion, deploying machinery to the site and using geo bags filled with sand and silt to stem the erosion. Additional Deputy Commissioner Deba Narayan Hazarika is overseeing the operation, which has been largely successful in bringing the erosion under control.
According to Hazarika, the erosion was attributed to a drop in the river’s water level following the recent spate. The administration has asked residents to report any fresh signs of bank slippage, and the current containment measures are expected to continue for the next few days until the riverbank is stabilised.
Despite the efforts of the administration, villagers continue to remain on alert as the river flows close to the eroded bank. Local resident Dev Chouhan expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the geo-bag technology in controlling the erosion, stating that the river has been steadily advancing towards the village over the years.
Chouhan warned that continued erosion could wipe out the entire area if effective protective measures are not implemented at the earliest. District authorities are monitoring the situation round the clock and have kept additional earth-moving equipment on standby to address any further erosion.
