The All Meghalaya Minority Students’ Union (AMMSU) sent a letter today to the district administration of West Garo Hills seeking its immediate intervention to halt the erosion taking place on the banks of the River Brahmaputra and its Jinjiram tributary near the Old Bhaitbari area.
The matter was earlier highlighted by Rajabala MLA Azad Zaman, who had requested Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to take action.
“The areas adjoining the villages of Quajani, Kasbari, Kolabari, Khetadhowa, Bowabari among others, bordering Assam, have been threatened by erosion due to the overflow of the banks of the Brahmaputra. The land in question is being eroded rapidly and residents have had to shift to other areas for safety. If this remains unchecked, it could prove a huge threat to people in the coming days,” said Nur Islam, the president of AMMSU.
According to locals, more than a kilometre of the banks of the two rivers are under threat of erosion, which could displace thousands. Many have already abandoned their homes in fear and taken shelter in safer locales.
The NGO sought an early visit by the Deputy Commissioner to see the situation first-hand so that action can be initiated accordingly.
The situation, according to Zaman could also pose a threat to communal harmony as those displaced may be compelled to take up shelter in the higher reaches of the plain belt, where most of the land is owned by indigenous people.
