A Flawed Vision: Experts debunk Amit Shah’s 50 ponds proposal

Guwahati, July 20: Assam’s affair with floods has been an old one, and this year was no different. Decades have passed and governments have changed, but the devastating floods continue to ravage the state in unprecedented ways.

Over the years, a combination of natural and human factors has been responsible for the floods that the people of Assam experience every year. From heavy rainfall to deforestation and unplanned urbanisation to poor drainage systems, these factors contribute to the annual deluge.

Although successive governments talk about mitigating flood issues, their promises are also washed away by the floods every year. Mere phone calls from the centre, setting up relief camps, and deploying disaster management authorities are all that is done. 

Earlier in July this year, during the second wave of floods, our reporters on the ground were confronted with a shocking revelation when they found that in remote areas of Lakhimpur, including Ghunasuti and Naharanigaon, people did not even have access to clean drinking water, and the entire village was submerged, making it inaccessible. While the government claimed that heavy rains in neighbouring states like Arunachal Pradesh have been the reason behind the rise in water levels downstream, villagers pointed to embankment breaches and poor quality work on embankments as the cause of this year’s devastating floods.

Floods and landslides are recurrent issues in the Northeastern region, and no single state can address them alone. The mighty Brahmaputra River flows into Assam from Arunachal Pradesh, bringing with it sediments. Additionally, the river's tributaries traverse various states in the region. To tackle the sedimentation issue, which exacerbates flooding and erosion, a comprehensive approach involving all concerned states is essential.

Experts warn that providing temporary relief is just a band-aid solution that will not resolve the issue. The real solution lies in long-term planning, better infrastructure, and sustainable development. The recurring floods and the callous approach towards mitigating them remain oblivious.

There have been long pending demands for declaring Assam floods a ‘national problem’. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called for a ‘national solution’ instead. The President of Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Lurinjyoti Gogoi, hit out at Sarma for his comment, saying, “Our resources are national resources, but our problems are not.”

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah suggested the creation of 50 ponds across the Northeast to deal with the problem of floods. However, experts have considered this idea to be flawed as it will not yield any concrete results.

Ravindranath, an Ashoka Fellow and founder of the Rural Volunteer Centre, while speaking to The Assam Tribune, said that the region already possesses thousands of natural water bodies and ponds (beels). However, these are disappearing, encroached upon, or affected by rapid urbanisation.

“Someone misinformed the Home Minister about the feasibility of constructing 50 ponds to mitigate Assam's floods. Assam already has thousands of natural water bodies, like beels, that are silted and ineffective. Proposing 50 new ponds without addressing existing ones is not a viable solution,” said Ravindranath.

Some of the challenges cited by Ravindranath include rapid siltation, which will occur despite any construction, and a high underground water table, complicating the digging efforts during the monsoon. Moreover, the immense water load of the Brahmaputra renders the idea of 50 ponds ineffective.

“The key point to consider is the immense water load of the Brahmaputra. The water capacity of 50 ponds is insignificant in comparison. It's a misconception to think they make a difference. The Brahmaputra's water load is so vast that these 50 ponds are negligible. It's crucial to understand the volume of water the Brahmaputra carries and how much flows towards Bangladesh. Thus, 50 ponds are not a viable solution, especially when considering issues like digging and the high water table,” Ravindranath informed.

Additionally, finding space for these ponds would require evicting people, leading to significant political issues.

While stressing on the issue of sedimentation, Ravindranath stated that there are several theories regarding flood management in Assam. One can be vacating riverways and extending embankments on both sides, but this leads to political problems due to the need to evict people.

“Erosion occurs because the Brahmaputra carries not only water but also debris from the hills. The high velocity of this debris-laden water erodes riverbanks. Debris deposition is exacerbated by mining, road construction, and boulder extraction in the hills. Development in the hills will continue to increase erosion unless it is politically addressed. This heavy, debris-filled water will keep flowing into the Brahmaputra, worsening erosion,” said Ravindranath.

He further stated that the natural water bodies in Upper Assam face a bleak future due to rapid silting. In contrast, the silt percentage varies, with Lower Assam receiving fine, fertile silt, while Upper Assam deals with heavy debris and coarse sands.

Author and former journalist Arup Jyoti Das criticised Amit Shah's statements on resolving Assam's flood issue, calling them mere "Jhumla." He compared it to Himanta Biswa Sarma's promise during the 2021 elections to address Guwahati's flooding by creating a large pond in the Nabin Nagar area. Das described these as political gimmicks aimed at diverting attention from genuine issues. He highlighted that Guwahati's heavily urbanised environment and outdated drainage system require long-term solutions to effectively mitigate flooding.