Guwahati, July 05: It all started in 2004 when the sudden water release from Kurichu dam in Bhutan, affected thousands of people in Barpeta District and Baksa District.
Massive erosion in Beki, a tributary of the Brahmaputra has displaced thousands of people in Lower Assam’s Barpeta.
Beki River is one of the right bank tributaries of Brahmaputra, which flows down from the Bhutan region but a large portion flows in Assam.
As many as 1,31,041 people across 222 villages in Kalgachia and the adjoining revenue circles have been marooned by the river.
According to officials, since 2004, the Beki started to carry 80 per cent of the silt load of two rivers- itself and the Manas, which flows into the Brahmaputra.
Erosion and the recurring floods of characteristically high magnitude by Beki River have been heavily affecting the agricultural lands, crops, cattle and people of the Barpeta district of Assam.
Experts say one of the reasons for erosion in the Manas-Beki River is due to the sudden water release from the Kurichu dam in Bhutan, which affected thousands of people in Barpeta District and Baksa District. Kurichu is a 60MW hydropower project which can have massive downstream impacts if the downstream area is already facing rainfall and floods.
River bank erosion associated with channel migration is one of the major geological hazards in north-east India causing loss of adjoining valuable land, which could be either agricultural land, forest land, tea plantations or human settlements or associated infrastructure. The bank line erosion of the Manas-Beki River has become a major problem, especially for the Barpeta and Baksa districts of Assam as the river is characterized by rapid changes in its morphological dynamics.
The local people have appealed to the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to prevent erosion immediately.
“Since the Beki River is carrying almost all the discharge of a huge catchment area, its flood hazard became severe day by day. The river’s bank is being eroded during its meandering course through Barpeta and Baksa districts,” said a resident.
“There have been several devastating floods starting from 2004 due to the release of excess water from the Kurichu Dam in Bhutan. This has created severe flood havoc including erosion in almost all the (river’s) reaches,” stated the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the water resources department.
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