A tribal woman is at work

RIVER BANK EROSION DISPLACES MILLIONS IN ASSAM

MONOJ GOGOI Massive river bank erosion in Assam has been displacing hundreds of thousands families across the state over decades since India's Independence in 1947. In recent years, the intensity and frequency of floods and erosion have also been increasing in the state. A photo of the IAG meeting in Lakhimpur. According to experts the behavior of rivers in Assam changed just after the Assam Earthquake of 1950 which was measured 8.7 in the Richter scale. The earthquake and the aftershock elevated the river beds of all rivers in Assam. Some rivers including Subansiri changed channels during the earthquake. It is estimated that since 1950 about 4.27 Sq km of land has been eroded by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries in Assam. In a recent statement CK Das, former Additional Chief Secretary of the state said that the size of the land that fell in river bank erosion would be about 5000 Sq km. But it is believed that the furious fast flowing rivers eroded mass more lands displacing

Many farmers fail to harvest black lentils in Majuli, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur. Pod less plants used as fodder.

MONOJ GOGOI Black lentil is one of the major crops that farmers grow in the alluvial soils of Majuli, Lakhimpur and Dhemaji for additional income support and also to compensate if their main cultivation - the sali rice (plant in summer and harvest in winter) fails either due to flood or other causes. But, this harvesting season, most farmers are not harvesting black lentils as no pod found in the plants and cows are freed to eat the plants as the plants are of no use without pods. Photos from Majuli Ananta Hazarika of Garamur, Majuli who also works as temporary worker in district agriculture office told that it was surprising that the farmers in the entire Majuli district were highly affected by the failure of black lentil crop. In distress, farmers grazed cows in the fields of black lentils. Such information poured from all corners of the district, he added. Raj Kumar Chandi from Dhunaguri area of Lak

LOW YIELD OF BETEL NUTS HITS RURAL ECONOMY IN ASSAM THIS YEAR

MONOJ GOGOI It's the harvesting period of betel nut or supari (areca nut) in Assam. But the yield of betel nuts is discernibly low this year in all the districts of Assam compared to previous years. Chandan Boro, who plucks betel nuts, with Ranjit Basumatary and Raju Basumatary in this season in various villages under Gogamukh revenue circle of Dhemaji district in Assam says that in this harvesting season of betel nuts they are not getting as much works as they did in previous years. He says in the orchards where we plucked 20 quintals last year, this year's yield in the same orchard is less than 5 quintals. In many trees not even a single nut is found and in which trees nuts are there, it's comparatively very few. Ranjit Basumatary says we are roaming from village to village but the situation is the same. "We are shocked to see the drastic change in the crop yields", he adds. Biren Pegu, a betel nut grower from Goroimari area under Kadam rev

HEATWAVE AND HUMAN SURVIVABILITY THRESHOLD IN INDIA

MONOJ GOGOI Extreme summer heat waves in northern states of India poses a serious question on the human survivability threshold in India. The number of heatwave days, also the intensity, have been increasing over the years in the states such as Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab etc. The Mercury level soars high and the human plight starts. People from vulnerable groups are dying. The states of northeast India also suffered from high temperatures combined with high summer humidity in the month of June. Noticing the exposure of children to scorching heat, the Assam government advanced the school starting time from 9:00am to 7:30 am. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave occurs when the maximum temperature reaches 40C or above in plains and 30C in hilly terrains. Although Assam did not record 40C in the last month, but the heat compounded with high humidity became unbearable. People from vulnerable groups - elderly persons, children, pregnant wo

CLIMATE CARE - NORTHEAST INDIA

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