AASU launches 12-hour hunger strike in Dibrugarh over stalled anti-erosion work

Escalating concerns over recurring riverbank erosion along the Brahmaputra prompted the Dibrugarh unit of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) to launch a 12-hour hunger strike on Monday, January 19 at Poolbagan, protesting what it termed the “lackadaisical and indifferent approach” of the Water Resources Department towards anti-erosion measures.

The student body alleged that crucial anti-erosion works along the vulnerable stretch from Maijan to Bogibeel have remained stalled for the past week without any official explanation. According to AASU leaders, the delay has once again exposed thousands of residents to the looming threat of land loss, a crisis that has plagued the region year after year.

“Every year, people here lose their land to erosion. Despite repeated assurances, the pace of anti-erosion work has been extremely sluggish. For the past one week, the work has completely stopped, and no clarity has been given by the department,” an AASU member said during the protest.

Highlighting the severity of the situation, AASU asserted that erosion has emerged as one of the biggest threats to Dibrugarh, with the Brahmaputra steadily encroaching upon inhabited areas. The organisation maintained that riverbank protection has been a long-standing demand and that it has consistently raised the issue across multiple platforms.

“Erosion is not a seasonal concern but a permanent crisis for the people of Dibrugarh. The Brahmaputra continues to eat away land every year, yet concrete, long-term solutions remain elusive,” the student leader added.

AASU also targeted the local legislator, alleging a lack of proactive intervention. “We have not witnessed any meaningful effort by the Dibrugarh MLA to address the crisis. He visits during the monsoon, declares the area safe, and leaves. However, the ground reality tells a very different story, as erosion continues unabated,” the organisation claimed.

The union warned that if the authorities fail to resume anti-erosion work immediately and ensure sustained protection measures, it would be compelled to intensify its agitation in the coming days.