Dibrugarh, Dec 16: Every monsoon, the villages under Tengakhat revenue circle in Dibrugarh district, Assam, brace themselves for a story that has become all too familiar. This year was no different. Torrential rains and the swelling of the Buri Dehing River—a major tributary of the Brahmaputra—wreaked havoc once again, breaching embankments and inundating around 40 villages in a matter of hours. Hundreds of villagers were forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in relief camps set up by the administration.
As the floodwaters recede, the cycle of suffering continues in a different form. Erosion—slow, steady, and unrelenting—claims what the floods leave behind. Villagers who had only just begun to rebuild their lives after the deluge now watch helplessly as chunks of fertile land vanish into the river. The rich soil of Tengakhat, which once supported bountiful paddy, rabi crops, and vegetables sold in markets like Dibrugarh, Duliajan, and Tinsukia, is being devoured by the Buri Dehing. Each year, the villagers lose a little more land, a little more livelihood, and a little more hope.
This year, however, the story took on a new dimension. A group of journalists from the Dibrugarh Press Club, in collaboration with the Tengakhat Hatibondha Flood and Erosion Resistance and Embankment Protection Samity, launched an initiative called “Gaonoloi Jaw” (“Let’s go to the Villages”). The daylong tour aimed to provide journalists from print, electronic media, and Doordarshan Kendra with a first-hand look at the grim reality faced by villagers in some of the worst flood and erosion-hit areas of the region.
What the journalists saw was a reflection of years of neglect. Villagers expressed their frustration with the government and the Water Resources Department, accusing them of unnecessary delays in implementing anti-erosion measures. Despite promises and plans, action on the ground remains sluggish, leaving residents to fend for themselves. Left with no choice, villagers have taken matters into their own hands.
In a remarkable display of community-driven resilience, local residents have started installing bamboo porcupines along the banks of the Buri Dehing. These makeshift anti-erosion structures are intended to slow the river’s current and reduce soil erosion. To the villagers’ surprise and relief, the efforts have shown signs of success. Encouraged by these results, senior citizens and community leaders are now calling on the government to expedite the implementation of permanent anti-erosion schemes in the area.
“How long will we have to live this way?” asked a village elder, gesturing toward a portion of farmland that had crumbled into the river just days earlier. His question captures the sentiment of an entire community trapped in a loop of destruction and reconstruction. Every year, the villagers of Tengakhat tell the same story—a story of flood, displacement, erosion, and neglect. But this year, they are trying to change the ending.
The bamboo porcupines are a symbol of this shift. While they may not be a permanent solution, they represent the villagers’ determination to reclaim control over their future. The government’s support, however, remains crucial. As villagers wait for the promised anti-erosion schemes to materialize, the story of Tengakhat continues to unfold, chapter by chapter, season by season—each one bearing an unsettling resemblance to the last.
Also Read: Assam ranks fifth from bottom in green highway plantation drive
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
