MANGALDAI, Nov 8: Severe erosion by the Brahmaputra affected around 300 people from nearly 60 families and 200 bighas of land in Darrang district, Circle Officer Tanmoy Bora said.
The worst-hit villages were Aporia, Borala Khaity and Bhokelikanda under Rangamati Mouza in the Mangaldai Revenue Circle. Almost the entire Aporia village was swallowed by the river, locals said. Aporia LP School, No. 1 Paschim Aporia LP School, No. 2 Paschim Aporia LP School and the Aporia Health Sub-Centre also disappeared into the river.
Locals said No. 3 Borala Khaity had vanished completely, while half of No. 2 Borala Khaity was engulfed by the river. Borala Khaity Jana Kalyan High School, which had served as a polling centre, was also lost to erosion.
Babul Deka, the gram pradhan of Borala Khaity, said erosion had posed a serious threat to No. 1 Borala Khaity for about six months. He said Chaulkhowa Rawmari Anchalik High School, a newly constructed health sub-centre and several temples were on the verge of collapse.
“The river is coming closer day by day. The staff of the Mangaldai Water Resources Department visited several times in my presence and took photographs, but no action is visible on the ground,” Deka said.
He said nearly 100 indigenous farmer families could lose their homes unless urgent protection measures were taken. Bora said it was difficult to demarcate land in char areas because of their alluvial nature.
Jiten Das, Executive Engineer of the Mangaldai Water Resources Division, said temporary protection measures using flood-fighting materials such as porcupines were planned within a week. He said the department was awaiting supplies from the government.
Erosion also intensified in Dholpur and other riverine villages under the Sipajhar Revenue Circle.
