The riverine villagers of Mebo Sub-division in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh are taking up up voluntary anti-erosion measures on self help basis to protect their land from the grip of mighty Siang river.
The villagers have started erection of bamboo and wooden spars with traditional methods at Kongkul and Namsing village portions on the left bank in order to divert Siang river course.
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The rising Siang river, which is taking a turn towards left,eroded about a 550-metre stretch of the Mebo-Dhola road between Kongkul and Namsing on Wednesday, and snapped road communication. It also eroded several acres of horticulture gardens at Serum, Kongkul and Namsing villages.
“We are taking up the anti-erosion measures to control further erosion at our villages. The villagers of Lower Mebo too contribute physical labour on a routine basis, while the MLA is supplying some materials including boulder and GI nets to erect boulder spurs at vulnerable portions”, the local villagers said.
Meanwhile, local MLA (39-Mebo LAC) Lombo Tayeng along with administrative officials and engineers visited the erosion-hit sites near Namsing village and assured local villagers of early restoration measures.
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Thus, the legislator ordered PWD officials to make an alternative way to restore road links while he urged Power department officials to take up prompt measures for resumption of power supply in the Lower Mebo (Mer-Gadum) area within a short period.
According to PWD officials, the 2-km long subway is under progress and it would be cleared on Sunday.
Last year too, the local villagers made such spur using locally available cane, bamboo and grasses to control the flow of waters at different portions.
But,their efforts became in vain as high tides of the Siang river washed away the spars and continued erosion on the left bank.
The engineering experts have suggested construction of boulder spurs at every crucial junction of the rivers to prevent further erosion by Siang water.