Public ire grows as encroachment threatens Sivasagar’s water bodies; eviction on cards

Sivasagar, August 18: Centuries-old water bodies in Sivasagar are gasping for survival under rampant encroachments, with public pressure mounting on the district administration to act.

District Commissioner (DC) Ayush Garg has hinted at a “massive eviction and excavation plan” to reclaim the town’s wetlands and restore its ecological balance.

The Dikhow river course, locally known as Moribeel (Dag No. 4625 of Ward No. 10), has seen large portions of its land swallowed by illegal settlements in Melachakar and Amolapatty.

Environmental groups and local organisations allege that this unchecked encroachment has worsened urban flooding in areas like Boarding Road, Muktinath Chariali and GNG Road, which were hit by flash floods recently.

“Moribeel has been pushed to its deathbed by encroachers. It is no longer a water body but a patchwork of vegetable gardens, buildings and elephant grass,” lamented one local nature enthusiast.

An RTI petition by Amguri Navanirman Samity president Dulal Saikia revealed that nearly half of Moribeel’s area in Melachakar alone is under illegal occupation by 89 residents.

The list reportedly includes lawyers, professors, businessmen, government employees and even respected families, raising questions about systemic collusion.

While notices have been issued periodically to vacate the occupied land, they have rarely translated into action.

The administration has, in fact, allotted portions of Moribeel to some institutions and individuals, further complicating matters.

The crisis extends beyond Moribeel. The Jamuna canal, a historic water channel excavated during the reign of Ahom king Siva Singha and queen Draupadi, is now on the verge of extinction due to rampant encroachment and garbage dumping.

Local residents warn that the degradation of the Jamuna beel (Garkhawoi), an integral part of the Borpukhuri ecosystem, could lower water levels of the iconic tank itself.

Several youth and student organisations, including ATASU and Sangrami Sena, Asom, have pressed for an “all-out eviction drive” to save both Moribeel and the Jamuna canal.

Despite past assurances and even a revival plan drawn up over a decade ago, little has been done on the ground.

But with the Supreme Court tightening its stance on ecological degradation across the country and local groups stepping up protests, officials say the administration is under pressure to finally act.

DC Garg, while not specifying a timeline, confirmed that an eviction and canal-cleaning plan is “on the anvil”.

Residents and activists alike now wait to see if Sivasagar’s historic water bodies will get a second chance at life.