Assam floods: 'Build a guardwall, stop quarrying,' Nepalikhuti villagers tell CM Himanta

With homes reduced to mounds of silt, livestock wiped out and livelihoods shattered, residents of Nepalikhuti village in Assam's Sivasagar district urged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to build a guard wall along the Dikhow River and stop stone quarrying, saying only long-term intervention could prevent another disaster. During his visit to the flood-ravaged village on Monday, August 3, survivors narrated heartbreaking stories of loss and appealed for measures that would protect their homes from recurring floods.
 

The Chief Minister visited Nepalikhuti Ward No. 7 under Bihubor Panchayat, one of the worst-affected pockets in the district, where villagers said 283 households had been affected and a large number of homes had been damaged or destroyed in the floods.
 

Residents told Sarma that the village had been repeatedly battered by floods and erosion over the years and urged the government to construct a guard wall along the Dikhow River. They also demanded an end to stone quarrying along the river, alleging that years of mining activity had altered the river's course and intensified the destruction.
 

"Our village can still be saved if a guard wall is built and quarrying is stopped," one of the villagers told the Chief Minister.

Among those who met Sarma was Binod Sharma, a livestock farmer who said he lost 29 of his 30 cows during the floods.

"I could save only one cow. The remaining 29 died. They were all high-value breeds, including Sahiwal, Jersey and Gir," Sharma said, adding that cattle rearing was his family's primary source of income.
 

The losses in Nepalikhuti mirror the devastation suffered by livestock owners across eastern Assam, where dairy farming is a key source of livelihood. In several flood-hit villages of Sivasagar, residents said floodwaters swept away cattle and wiped out years of investment, leaving families uncertain about how they would rebuild.
 

Responding to such losses, the Assam government has announced financial assistance for flood-affected families who lost livestock in the recent floods across Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms. Eligible households will receive Rs 37,500 per large milch animal, including cows, for the loss of up to three animals. Compensation of Rs 4,000 per goat or pig will be provided for up to 30 small animals, while families that lost poultry will receive Rs 100 per bird for up to 100 birds.
 

Taking note of the villagers' grievances, Sarma directed officials to prepare a detailed list of livestock that had perished in the floods and assured affected farmers that eligible families would receive the announced financial assistance.
 

The Chief Minister also met Sumi Karmakar, whose husband, Krishna Karmakar, was swept away by the floodwaters in front of her. Fighting back tears, she recounted the tragedy as Sarma assured her family of all possible government support.
 

Apart from farmers, local stone traders also highlighted the economic impact of the disaster. They said stone quarries had been completely buried under thick layers of silt, while dumpers, excavators and other heavy vehicles remained trapped under mud, bringing their businesses to a standstill.
 

Several traders told the Chief Minister that many small businessmen who supplied stones for construction had lost not only their quarries but also expensive machinery, leaving them without a source of income.
 

Responding to their concerns, Sarma assured villagers that the government would provide assistance to the maximum extent possible. He said eligible beneficiaries would receive compensation and that insurance-related claims for damaged vehicles and equipment would also be facilitated wherever applicable.
 

Nepalikhuti, located near the Assam-Nagaland border, was among the villages worst affected by the recent floods in eastern Assam.