Residents of Namsing and Mer villages in the East Siang district have expressed deep concern and dissatisfaction over the government’s alleged inaction in implementing effective anti-erosion measures to mitigate the ongoing threat posed by the Siang river.
More than 50 hectares of fertile agricultural land in the two villages have been lost to river erosion since last year. Specifically, the Siang river has reportedly eroded approximately 20 hectares of land in Namsing and 30 hectares in Mer, even as there are no visible efforts to stop these erosions by the state.
Reports indicate that erosion in the lower Mebo (Monggu Banggo) area of Mer village is becoming increasingly severe. Additionally, rising water levels from the Siang have inundated agricultural lands, destroying standing crops and horticultural gardens, thereby exacerbating the challenges faced by local farmers.
While the erosion ravages the area, the Pasighat Water Resource Division has revealed that an anti-erosion project worth Rs. 228 crore has been proposed for the protection of the lower Mebo area. This proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Jal Shakti and is currently awaiting approval.
In 2019, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region had sanctioned Rs. 35 crore for a flood and erosion control project in the Mebo subdivision as part of a one-time central assistance package for the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by the 2017 floods.
Despite these measures, concerns remain regarding the utilisation of sanctioned funds, as reports frequently cite cases of misuse or underutilisation. Villages such as Seram, Namsing, Mer, Gadum, Gadum-II, and Kongkul continue to face annual threats of flooding and erosion with limited or delayed intervention.
A long-term measure must be taken. These yearly occurrences of uncertainty must stop once and for all.