Lok Sabha Question No. 126 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-20
Subject: Challenges of River Erosion
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 126

ANSWERED ON 20.07.2023

## CHALLENGES OF RIVER EROSION

## 126. SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware about the challenges due to river erosion in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar;

(b) if so, the action taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and

(c) whether the Government proposes to consider Integrated River Erosion Scheme to control erosion of Aye and Mansa rivers in Bongaigaon and Chirang district of Assam respectively and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (b) Erosion, movement and deposition of sediment in a river are natural regulating functions of a  river.  Rivers  tend  to  maintain  a  balance  between  the  silt  load  carried  &  silt  load  deposited, maintaining a river regime. Soil erosion caused by heavy floods is a matter of concern as it leads to several associated problems like changes in river course, causing loss of land, etc. Flood management including  erosion  control  falls  within  the  purview  of  the  States.  Flood  management  and  anti-erosion schemes are formulated and implemented by concerned State Governments as per their priority. The Union  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  States  by  providing  technical  guidance  and  also promotional financial assistance for management of floods in critical areas. The Government of India has been making continuous efforts to assist the State Governments in effective flood management and erosion control. Morphological Studies by various IIT and NIIT have been carried out for major rivers like Brahmaputra, Ganga, Sharda, Rapti, Subansari, Krishna, Tungbhadra, Mahanadi, Mahananda, etc. These Studies play an important role in knowing the nature of rivers in a comprehensive manner and provide assessment of decadal bank-line movement, erosion & deposition in different reaches in respect of base year, derivation of reach-wise morphological indices and identification of critical reaches. So far,  morphological  studies  of  15  major  rivers  have  been  carried  out  by  CWC  using  remote  sensing technique through various academic/research institutes. These studies have been shared with concerned State Govts and other stakeholders etc. for taking informed decision and future planning.

(c) A  project named  'Protection of village Domgaon,  Dababeel, Chotonilibari, Debargaon, Dangaigaon, Birengaon, Bherbheri, Rowmari, Khagrabari, Sanyashibari, UttarPopragaon and Popragaon  from  the  erosion  of  river  Aie'   with  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  125.21  Crores   has  been included  for  central  funding  under  Flood  Management  and  Border  Areas  Programme  (FMBAP)  of Ministry of Jal Shakti. Another project named 'Integrated Flood and erosion management of Manas and Beki river in the district of Baksa and Barpeta in Brahmaputra valley within Assam' (proposed under Assam Integrated River Basin Management Project (AIRBMP - Phase-I) funded by World Bank with an estimated cost of Rs. 400.22 Crores has been techno economically accepted by Advisory Committee of Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.