Pasighat: In an attempt to minimise the impact of largescale soil erosion in Borguli village under Mebo sub-division, the Borguli Youth Forum (BYF), comprising around 100 members, carried out voluntary flood protection measures along the stretches of Siang river on Sunday.

High tides in Siang river, which was not seen till now, has led to massive soil erosion in Borguli, Seram, Namsing and Mer villages under Mebo sub-division and hundreds of hectares of land was washed away. The erosion in Borguli was massive and hence the villagers started initiating measures to minimise erosion without waiting for government assistance. The villagers have already initiated a two-day collective flood protection work in New Borguli with the help of an elephant to lift logs and trees toward the river bank.

Village secretary Balom Tayeng and BYF member Batyi Doso said the villages are under constant threat from the cascading Siang river, which has already changed the topography of the village's jurisdiction by washing away hundreds of hectares of land, including the land on which the Government Higher Secondary School, primary health centre, sericulture farm and others were present.

"We are helpless, but we can't sit idle either, so we have initiated the construction of traditional means of diverting the river to at least minimise the impact," Tayeng said.

Local MLA and adviser to Pema Khandu, Lombo Tayeng, has given an immediate assistance of Rs 1 lakh to the village for hiring an elephant and procuring the necessary items for the voluntary work.

Arunachal Pradesh information and public relations director Obang Tayeng, who hails from Borguli, lauded the voluntary efforts of the village youth.