Guwahati, Feb. 7: Assam has requested the World Bank to provide technical assistance on basin level planning for a comprehensive understanding of the Brahmaputra river basin.

This was revealed during a presentation on Futuristic Planning for Brahmaputra River - Lessons from Field by Prasanta Dutta of Assam water resources department and Sanjay Gupta of World Bank on the final day of the Assam Water Conference here today.

The presentation revealed results of an initiative taken under the leadership of Davinder Kumar, additional chief secretary, on Classroom Conference to River Confluence, from January 18 to 21, where decision-makers and experts were taken to explore the river for an on-the-spot assessment of the problem.

The initiative was taken up so that a comprehensive and holistic approach can be taken considering the gravity of the flood and erosion problem in Assam.

Officials from Assam, the Centre and World Bank were involved in the exercise.

The request to the World Bank to provide technical assistance is on the gaps in the project and needs analysis, vulnerability analysis, prioritisation of interventions based on social, cultural, economic and strategic needs, management of embankments and basin-level multi-sector planning (using latest technologies, databases and scientific methodologies).

The officials in their presentation stressed the whole idea is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the river basin, including the undertaking of numerical and physical modelling to understand and predict its dynamics and morphology.

In its meetings with the communities in different places during the expedition, locals stressed long-term planning which essential for people-friendly development of water resources and management of the erosion problem in Brahmaputra. Another important issue was the overall basin and statewide river planning.

Some of the suggestions emerging out of the interaction were setting up a centre of excellence in Assam to study and address the water resource needs of the entire Northeast. Another one was the use of zoning to identify and develop priority high-value areas that need to be protected and identify regions where the river could be given more space.

The conference organised by state water resources department was attended by national and international experts deliberated on flood and erosion - a perpetual hazard in the Northeast, management of water-related disasters, water hazards with special reference to cloudburst and flash floods in the region.