B’putra erosion wipes out houses, temple at Tengabari Mirigaon

Dibrugarh: Massive erosion by the Brahmaputra, over the past week, has wiped out at least five residential houses and a temple in Dibrugarh’s Tengabari Mirigaon, while leaving several other structures on the edge along the riverbank.The affected area includes Bindhakota, which is the birthplace of Union minister and former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal.For the villagers of Tengabari Mirigaon, erosion is a recurring nightmare, which has displaced families and destroyed agricultural fields. “We are living in a state of constant fear. The water is rising unexpectedly. If this is the situation in April, we don’t know if our village will even exist or not when the peak monsoon arrives in June,” said Joyraj Mili, a local resident.Over the years, the water resources department has initiated various anti-erosion measures to protect the Bindhakota belt. Thousands of geo-bags and RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) porcupine screens have been installed along the riverbank to deflect the current and prevent further sliding. However, these interventions have largely failed to withstand the river’s force.“The geo-bags are being washed away like toys. The govt’s measures are temporary fixes for a permanent disaster.

We need permanent, scientific solutions — not temporary fixes. The govt must treat this as an emergency or the entire gaon panchayat will be wiped off the map,” said Bisarju Pegu, another villager, whose home is now less than ten metres away from the edge of the river.The fact that erosion of this magnitude is already occurring in April — when river levels are comparatively lower — has left locals anxious about the monsoon season. Families, whose homes are teetering on the brink, have begun dismantling their dwellings manually, salvaging tin sheets, timber and belongings to move to a higher ground.