Brahmaputra shifting towards south

GUWAHATI, February 2: The mighty Brahmaputra has been shifting towards the south throughout its 800 km course in Assam, according to satellite imageries, reports UNI. The Pune based Central Water and Power Research Station's satellite imageries caught this astonishing development, according to the Chief Engineer of the State's Flood Control Department. The shifting of the river has resulted in heavy erosion on the southern side compared to the north. 'As the intensity grew in the southern side we formulated both long and short term plans to combat the situation,' the Chief Engineer said. Most of the erosion, nowadays, was going on in the southern bank like Rohmoriya, Disangmukh, Neematighat, Kaziranga, Morigaon, Palasbari as well as Dhubri. Exactly how much the Brahmaputra had shifted is unknown as the detailed study of the satellite imageries was still being carried out at Pune. It is noteworthy that the mighty river carries 61.4 million tonne of water and 332 million tonne of silt annually throughout its course and is fed by 20 tributaries from the northern side and 13 from south. Already flood ravaged Dhemaji district, which is in the north, had been half covered with silt making cultivation impossible for years. Although the Flood Control Department had undertaken a number of schemes both in the Upper and Lower Assam, flood management will remain extremely difficult, sources said. 'Today in the riverine char areas there are no primary channel of the river and hence it flows through many channels. If navigation in the waterways remains active then the channel will be opened which will considerably reduce both erosion and siltation,' said Pramode Gogoi, Flood Control Minister conceding that long term measures were beyond the means of the State Government and only the Centre could handle it. However, the Government puts hope on the series of hydel dams to come up in Arunachal Pradesh which not only proposes to generate more than 25,000 MW of power but also reduce the river's level by more than a feet throughout its course.