Guwahati: Assam Nagarik Sanmilan has called for a comprehensive and scientific approach to the state’s flood and environmental crisis, saying climate change and the current model of development have made flooding more severe.
In a statement issued on August 21, the organisation said the 1950 earthquake changed the course and character of several rivers in Assam and raised the riverbed of the Brahmaputra in many areas. It said embankments were later constructed along rivers to control floods, although the scientific and long-term sustainability of the approach remained open to debate.
The organisation said Assam had always experienced floods, but flooding in the past did not cause the same level of destruction seen today. According to it, floodwaters once spread naturally across the land, depositing fertile silt on agricultural fields and replenishing beels, wetlands and rivers with fish and other aquatic life.
It said the nature of flooding had changed significantly, with climate change and development practices emerging as major factors. The organisation also referred to international efforts to address climate change, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.
The statement said Assam and other states in the Northeast were particularly vulnerable to extreme rainfall, landslides and flash floods. It cited recent flash floods in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat as examples of the rapid and severe impact of such events.
The organisation also raised concerns about activities in the upper reaches of river systems that flow into Assam. It said dams, large infrastructure projects, mining, road expansion and railway construction in neighbouring states could affect the volume and speed of water entering Assam.
Assam Nagarik Sanmilan said development was necessary but questioned whether such activities were being carried out with adequate regard for the carrying capacity of nature. It also referred to the 2023 flooding in Haflong to argue that obstructing the natural movement of water through roads, embankments and other construction could worsen the impact of floods.
The organisation said forests, wetlands, beels, rivers and natural drainage channels play an important role in slowing water flow and allowing water to enter the soil. It argued that confining large volumes of water and releasing them suddenly could increase their destructive force.
The statement also opposed any reduction in the eco-sensitive zone of Kaziranga National Park, saying the protection of forests, wetlands and floodplains was closely linked to Assam’s ecological security and ability to cope with floods.
At the same time, the organisation said the administration should address the legitimate needs of people living in and around protected and eco-sensitive areas. It called for environmental protection and the interests of local communities to be considered together.
Assam Nagarik Sanmilan said the state’s flood crisis could not be addressed separately from wider environmental concerns. It called for an approach that goes beyond temporary relief and embankment repairs and examines the entire river and ecological system.
The organisation said it plans to organise a convention involving environmentalists, forest experts, engineers, river specialists, geologists, historians, social scientists, people from flood-affected areas, activists and representatives of other organisations and institutions.
According to the statement, the proposed convention will examine the impact of climate change, changes in river systems, embankments, dams and other infrastructure, mining, deforestation, wetlands, floodplains and the development model followed in the Northeast.
The organisation said a committee would be formed after the convention to study these issues in detail and prepare recommendations for long-term solutions.
The statement was issued on behalf of Assam Nagarik Sanmilan by Hiren Gohain, Harekrishna Deka, Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Paresh Malakar, Santanu Borthakur and Abdul Mannan.