The Centre on Monday admitted its failure in flood management and flood protection structures, deforestation/ watershed degradation, and encroachment of riverine areas, which are recognised as major causes of floods in Assam.
A media report quoted MoS for Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu as telling the Rajya Sabha that high-intensity rainfall in short duration, poor or inadequate drainage/channel capacity and high silt load, steep slope and transverse gradient lead to erosion and deportation of silt in the plains resulting in changing the course of rivers have been identified as the reasons for flooding in Assam.
In reply to a question whether the government has assessed the impact of annual riverbank erosion caused by flooding of the Brahmaputra in Assam, Union minister Tudu said during the post-Independence period, Assam faced major floods in 1954, 1962, 1972, 1977, 1984, 1988, 1998, 2002, and 2004.
“The severity of the flood problem of the state has been further aggravated by erosion on both banks of river Brahmaputra and its tributaries,” Rudu said quoting the state Water Resources Department (WRD).
To a question raised by Rajmani Patel, Union minister Tudu said Assam’s WRD has been implementing flood protection schemes under Flood Management Programme, NABARD-RIDF and others components from time to time to mitigate the perennial problem of floods in Assam.
The Union minister informed that under the centrally-sponsored FMP, a total of 141 projects of Rs 2,383.11 crore were approved during the XI Plan and XII Plan.
After the start of the XI Plan, total central assistance of Rs 1,286.39 crore has been released to Assam till date.
Besides, the Brahmaputra Board is implementing anti-erosion measures at Dhola Hatighuli in Tinsukia district, Majuli district and Mankachar-Kalair Alga in South Salmara-Mankachar district of Assam, Tudu said.