North Lakhimpur: Layers of sand deposits have turned once-green agricultural lands into barren fields in villages west of Assam’s Lakhimpur district, which shares a boundary with Biswanath district.
Villages that are usually busy with harvest activities during this time of the year now look desolate and lifeless, as paddy fields are covered with thick layers of sand deposited by the overflowing Sesa river during the last monsoon.
The villages of No. 1 Sesa, No. 2 Sesa, Sesa-Rangajan, Panigaon, Phutabhog, Khalihamari, and several others under the Narayanpur Revenue Circle of Lakhimpur district are now completely covered by sand deposited by the Sesa river in May–June this year.
Agricultural production has been nil in these flood-affected villages, as paddy could not be grown due to the sand covering the croplands. This situation has caused economic hardship for thousands of villagers, leaving them in despair.
The villagers attributed the massive sand deposits to the lack of flood protection measures on the left bank of the Sesa River.
They said the construction of an embankment on the right-hand bank by the Biswanath district Water Resources Department has diverted floodwater towards the eastern bank, affecting the villages in western Lakhimpur.
While the Sesa embankment, constructed with geo-tubes and sluice gates on the right bank, effectively protected areas of Biswanath district from monsoon floods this year, the left bank remained unprotected, resulting in devastating flooding on the Lakhimpur side during late May.
The sand deposits in western Lakhimpur have not only damaged croplands but also affected infrastructure such as roads and schools, and installations like Naam Ghars.
Roads within these villages remain uneven, making vehicle movement difficult. The Srimanta LP School in Sesa-Rangajan village is also affected by thick sand layers, and the level of a nearby Naam Ghar has been raised due to the deposits.
Villagers on the left bank of the Sesa River in Lakhimpur district are calling for permanent flood control measures from state authorities before the onset of the next monsoon.