Minister for water resources Prithibi Majhi inaugurates the project at Rohmoria on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Dibrugarh, Jan. 4: Assam water resources minister Prithibi Majhi today unveiled an ambitious anti-erosion plan at Rohmoria.

The plan aims to protect the area by implementing a Rs 60-crore project along a 7km stretch that has been battling the onslaught of severe erosion by the Brahmaputra for several decades now.

Inaugurating the project, Majhi said it was the first part of a Rs 344-crore package sanctioned by the Centre for taking up anti-erosion measures at Rohmoria. Rohmoria falls under Lahowal Assembly constituency which is represented by Majhi.

“The people of Rohmoria have been battling floods and erosion for several decades now. We have decided to take up some concrete measures so that the area can be protected from further erosion,” the minister said.

Majhi was accompanied by Dibrugarh MP Paban Singh Ghatowar, his legislator wife Jibantara Ghatowar, the chief engineer of Assam water resources department, Ratul Sarmah, and other senior district and department officials.

The Congress-led state government has been facing severe criticism for its failure to take up permanent anti- erosion measures at Rohmoria.

A water resource department official said in the initial stage, 12 rows of concrete porcupines would be placed along the eroded side of the river.

“The undercurrent of the Brahmaputra is very strong at the project site. Therefore, the first thing that needs to be done is to cut down the sharpness of the undercurrent. In the second phase, we will use geo tubes,” the official added.

Majhi said the government had directed the Dibrugarh administration to speed up rehabilitation of those who had lost their homes to erosion.

“Moreover, we will give financial assistance of Rs 2,000 and two bundles of corrugated iron sheets to each displaced family so that they can build their houses,” he added.

“We have formed a local-level monitoring committee and will keep a strict vigil on what is being done. We will also offer all help required for the timely completion of the project,” Ghanen Gogoi, the president of the Rohmoria Flood and Erosion Resistance Struggle Forum said.