Majuli island to be protected from erosion, says Gadkari 

Majuli island to be protected from erosion, says Gadkari 

Context

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday expressed hope that people living on the shrinking Majuli island will be able to put their worries to rest once the Central and State government schemes to prevent the isle from erosion are successfully implemented

Benefit

The projects, if properly handled, will be able to reclaim lost land

Majuli Island

Majuli island is surrounded by the Brahmaputra on the south and the Kherkatia Suti, Luit Suti and Subansiri rivers on the North.

Measures by Assam government

The Assam government had in the past constructed embankments to protect the island from floods. These measures, however, could offer marginal protection

Brahmaputra board

The Union Minister said that the Brahmaputra Board – set up under the Ministry of Irrigation – has been taking initiatives to protect the island since 2004 in line with the recommendations of an expert committee

• Due to unprecedented floods, massive land erosion had taken place in lower Majuli in 2007. The Brahmaputra Board then took several pro-siltation measures along the banks

Expert committee

The expert committee, constituted by the Union Water Resources Ministry, had extensively toured the island in March, and suggested more steps to prevent erosion

• Based on those suggestions, the Brahmaputra Board prepared a detailed project report for an estimated cost of Rs. 233.54 crore
• The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDONER) has agreed to allocate Rs. 207 crore for the project
• The remaining amount will be borne by the Brahmaputra Board