Assam: Chabua family rebuilds home 8 times as erosion wipes it out again and again

A family in Assam’s Chabua has rebuilt its home eight times, only to see it repeatedly washed away by relentless river erosion, highlighting the continuing struggle of vulnerable communities living along erosion-prone riverbanks.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who recently visited erosion-affected areas in Dibrugarh district, said the recurring cycle of displacement could not be allowed to continue and directed officials to identify vulnerable families and work towards their safe and permanent rehabilitation.

“A family in Chabua told me they have rebuilt their home eight times, only to see it washed away by erosion each time. This cycle cannot continue,” Sarma said in a post on X.

During his interaction with the affected residents, one of the family members told the chief minister that their house had been destroyed eight times due to erosion.

The chief minister directed officials to prepare a list of the 22 families who lost their homes during the current monsoon and conduct a detailed assessment of their situation.

“Please prepare a list of the 22 families who lost their homes this monsoon and conduct a proper assessment,” Sarma told officials.

The affected resident said the family had earlier been allotted land to construct two houses but expressed concern that the new plot was also vulnerable to erosion.

“We were allotted land to build two houses. However, the land given to us is also vulnerable to erosion. After losing our home eight times, we fear that it may be destroyed again if we return there,” the resident said.

The family requested the government to provide a safer and more suitable site for permanent rehabilitation, saying it would be willing to accept even a smaller plot if it offered protection from recurring erosion.

“Even if we are allotted a smaller plot of land, we will be grateful,” the resident told the chief minister.

According to the family, the land allotted to them is located near a water-release area close to an embankment and belongs to a tea garden, raising concerns about its long-term safety and suitability for resettlement.

The chief minister assured that the government would examine the matter and take steps towards identifying secure locations for families repeatedly displaced by erosion.

The visit comes as the Assam government plans to engage experts from IIT-Guwahati to develop a long-term and scientific solution to erosion caused by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.