Assam intensifies flood, erosion control projects across BTR: Minister Pijush Hazarika

Assam Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika on September 14 announced that the government has undertaken major flood and erosion protection works across the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), focusing on long-term solutions to recurring disasters.

According to Hazarika, projects carried out between 2020 and 2024 cover Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Tamulpur and Udalguri districts, areas that have long faced devastation from overflowing rivers and collapsing embankments. The measures include repairing and strengthening embankments, introducing GIS mapping, and setting up real-time monitoring systems to predict and manage flood risks more effectively.

Official data shows that Baksa has completed 30 projects worth over Rs 108 crore, securing vulnerable stretches along the Golandi and Mora Pagladia rivers. Chirang has seen 33 projects worth more than Rs 56 crore, aimed at protecting habitations near the Beki and Aie rivers. In Kokrajhar, flood protection measures now cover key public infrastructure, including Kokrajhar Medical College.

Tamulpur recorded some of the largest investments, with projects exceeding Rs 137 crore to restore embankments and block breaches along the Puthimari and Suklai rivers. Udalguri, where erosion frequently destroys farmland, has projects worth Rs 88 crore under progress.

The minister stressed that the government’s strategy goes beyond routine repairs, combining traditional embankment work with technology-driven solutions. “Our aim is to protect lives and ensure people do not have to live in fear of losing their homes every monsoon,” Hazarika said.

Floods and erosion remain among Assam’s most persistent challenges, with annual losses of land, homes, and infrastructure. The ongoing works in BTR, officials said, mark a shift towards permanent safeguards rather than short-term relief.