Lok Sabha Question No. 4022 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-10
Subject: Land Erosion
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO.

## 4022

ANSWERED ON 10 .0 8.201 7

## LAND EROSION

## 4022. SHRI KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the land erosion in Majuli Island is increasing day by da affecting it and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whe ther  permanent solution has been made by the Government in this regard and if s details thereof; and

(c) the details of scientific and economic help accorded to Assam to face this menace eff

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOMPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

(Dr. SANJEEV  KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) The Majuli Island has been subjected to flooding and erosion every year since long b problem has been more pronounced particularly after the great earthquake of 1 950.

As per the information provided by the state Government of Assam the land mass ar Majuli island has reduced from 733.79 sq.km as per Survey of India map of 1940 to about sq km in year 2013.

However, on implementation of  works un der  various  phases by Brahmaputra Board  from 2004, there  is  some  gain of land mass  areas  of  Majuli Island  since  2004 till 2 below:

| Year             | Area (sq   |
|------------------|------------|
| 2004             | 502.21     |
| 2011             | 520.30     |
| 2014             | 523.88     |
| 2016             | 524.29     |
| Total gain=22.08 | sqkm .     |

As per satellite imagery also, the total land mass area  of Majuli island was 524.2 the year 2016.

(b) & (c) Since the year 2004, Brahmaputra Board has implemented immediate, Phase -I, Emergent and Phase -II&III works, mostly in South Bank of Majuli Island with an expenditure of Rs. crore.  Beside  other  works,  Board  has  also  constructed  5  spurs  &  5  raised  platforms vulnerable  reaches  of  Majuli  Island.  All  these  works  are  carried  out  as  per  recomme dation/ suggestions  of  Standing  Committee/Technical  Committee  of  Experts  for  protection  of  M Island  headed  by Member,  River Management (RM), Central Water Commission  constituted Government of India,  output of  physical  model studies  carried out by  Brahmaputra  Board at North  Eastern  Hydraulic  and  Allied  Research  Institute  (NEHARI)  in  association  with  C Water & Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune.

Recently, Brahmaputra Board has also initiated the flood management and erosion c rol works in Majuli Island with the financial assistance of Rs. 207.00 crore from Min. of Govt. of India.

In addition to this, Govt. of Assam has also executed the following works.

- ( i ) Brahmaputra dyke = 80.937km
- ( ii ) Subansiri dyke = 32.583km

## Total 113.520 km

Moreover, total 14no. of check bunds were constructed to check the erosion and 4 sluice gates were constructed to mitigate the drainage problem. Four no. schemes under a from NABRAD have also been taken up for exec ution by State Govt. of Assam.

The  long  term  solution  of  flood  and  erosion  in  river  like  Brahmaputra  depen construction of storage reservoirs in upper catchment of major contributing tributarie moderation and Catchment Area Treatment etc .

******