Guwahati, Oct 5: In a major step to mitigate the recurring floods in Assam, the state government has identified 15 locations across the state for the construction of wetland reservoirs to divert overflowing waters from the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
The sites finalised for the first phase include four each in Jorhat and Golaghat, and one each in Sonitpur, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Majuli, Morigaon, Tinsukia, and Kamrup (Rural) districts.
Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika on Saturday said that tenders have already been floated and work has begun at the Mora Bhorolu site in Sonitpur, where ₹61.14 crore has been sanctioned for diverting excess Brahmaputra waters into the wetland.
“The concept was initially criticised, but today it has received approval at the highest level,” Hazarika told reporters. “When Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the idea of creating reservoirs to channel the Brahmaputra’s waters, there was scepticism. But now, with clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs three months ago, work at all 15 sites will begin within a month.”
Explaining the project’s design, Hazarika said, “These wetlands will be excavated, embankments constructed, and sluice gates installed to connect them to the river. The Mora Bhorolu wetland will not only help in flood control but will also support fisheries and agriculture.”
Alongside the wetland project, Assam is also fortifying its embankments using modern technology. Since 1950, the state has built nearly 4,500 km of embankments, with 900 km added in the past five years alone.
The wetland reservoir initiative, sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs with ₹692 crore earmarked for the first phase, aims to reduce flood damage while generating long-term ecological and economic benefits for local communities.
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