(a) whether it is a fact that the land erosion in Majuli Island is increasing day by day and severely affecting it and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether permanent solution has been made by the Government in this regard and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of scientific and economic help accorded to Assam to face this menace effectively?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOMPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
(Dr. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)
(a) The Majuli Island has been subjected to flooding and erosion every year since long back. The problem has been more pronounced particularly after the great earthquake of 1950.
As per the information provided by the state Government of Assam the land mass area of Majuli island has reduced from 733.79 sq.km as per Survey of India map of 1940 to about 522.73 sq km in year 2013.
However, on implementation of works under various phases by Brahmaputra Board from 2004, there is some gain of land mass areas of Majuli Island since 2004 till 2016 as shown below:
Year Area (sq km)
2004 502.21
2011 520.30
2014 523.88
2016 524.29
Total gain=22.08 sqkm .
As per satellite imagery also, the total land mass area of Majuli island was 524.29 sq km in the year 2016.
(b) & (c) Since the year 2004, Brahmaputra Board has implemented immediate, Phase-I, Emergent and Phase –II&III works, mostly in South Bank of Majuli Island with an expenditure of Rs.185.65 crore. Beside other works, Board has also constructed 5 spurs & 5 raised platforms in the vulnerable reaches of Majuli Island. All these works are carried out as per recommendation/ suggestions of Standing Committee/Technical Committee of Experts for protection of Majuli Island headed by Member, River Management (RM), Central Water Commission constituted by Government of India, output of physical model studies carried out by Brahmaputra Board at North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute (NEHARI) in association with Central Water & Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune.
Recently, Brahmaputra Board has also initiated the flood management and erosion control works in Majuli Island with the financial assistance of Rs. 207.00 crore from Min. of DONER, Govt. of India.
In addition to this, Govt. of Assam has also executed the following works.
(i) Brahmaputra dyke = 80.937km
(ii) Subansiri dyke = 32.583km
Total 113.520 km
Moreover, total 14no. of check bunds were constructed to check the erosion and 4 no. of sluice gates were constructed to mitigate the drainage problem. Four no. schemes under assistance from NABRAD have also been taken up for execution by State Govt. of Assam.
The long term solution of flood and erosion in river like Brahmaputra depends on construction of storage reservoirs in upper catchment of major contributing tributaries for flood moderation and Catchment Area Treatment etc.
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