Erosion by the Teesta River has rendered around 70 families of three villages under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila homeless in the last four days.

The affected villages are Kalmati, Tajpur and Gokunda.

The erosion-hit people have taken shelter at their relatives' houses at the adjoining villages.

The river devoured at least two fruit gardens, three bamboo clusters and about 32 acres of cultivable land, said locals.

Victim Nur Muhammad of Kalmati village told this correspondent that the erosion devoured several houses at the three villages.

Dispur has moved the Centre through the DoNER ministry for setting up a centre to collect hydrological data with German help to ensure effective planning and execution of anti-flood and erosion projects in the state. State water resources minister Rajiv Lochan Pegu disclosed this to The Telegraph on the sidelines of a daylong seminar on low-cost technology for mitigation of flood and riverbank erosion of the river Brahmaputra at the secretariat.

GUWAHATI, May 22 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today laid stress on solving the problems of flood and erosion. Once these problems are solved, the health of the State’s economy will undergo a fundamental change, he said while inaugurating a seminar on low cost technology for mitigation of flood and river bank erosion in the river Brahmaputra at the Assam Secretariat auditorium here.

‘Master plan for other 56 basins, sub-basins of the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys has also been taken up by the Brahmaputra Board’

GUWAHATI: Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources and Minority Affairs Vincent H Pala said that the Brahmaputra Board, a statutory body under the Ministry of Water Resources, had prepared a master plan for the Brahmaputra and all its tributaries after carrying out necessary survey and investigation, for planned development of the river with due regard to the development of irrigation, power and navigation.

BHUBANESWAR: With many areas in the Capital city facing water crisis during summer, renovation of ponds and other water bodies has become a necessity. To address the issue, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has earmarked Rs 5 crore for renovation and beautification of ponds in the city this year. Altogether, 20 ponds in the Capital city are being maintained by the BMC.

NEW DELHI, May 7 – Contrary to reports about massive erosion of Majuli island, the Centre on Monday claimed that the total land mass of the river island has increased marginally. Based on satellite imagery, the land mass of the island was calculated at 520.26 sq km. The total area of the land mass of Majuli main island, according to satellite imagery, was found to be 502.21 sq km in 2004. The total area based on the satellite imagery as of February 2011 has been found to be 520.26 sq km.

DIBRUGARH: Rapid erosion by Buri Dehing River at Tingrai under Duliajan police station in the last few days has left seven families homeless. The displaced are currently living along the edge of the Tingrai High School’s playground in makeshift shelters.

The river waters continue to carry away huge chunks of land. A part of the school’s playground has also gone underwater. Meanwhile, people fear for the fate of the institution since the river is just a few meters away. Similarly, a temple is on the verge of being submerged.

Due to rampant illicit sand mining in Ma Oya the lands on either side of it have been eroded and washed into the stream and the sea at Kochchikade.Hence thousands of people who make a livelihood from the Oya are in dire straits.The number of acres that have been subjected to soil erosion exceeds tens and thousands of acres.

The residents on either side of the banks of the Oya urge the authorities to stop illicit sand mining and punish those engage in the illegal activity.