As Assam approaches its state election, many projects as usual are being announced by the government. Recently a 1075 crore embankment project has been declared to mitigate the flood issue.

But has embankment ever been effective? What does the indigenous communities say?

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"My introduction to all would be that I was born and raised in the floods. Floods damaged my house thrice and I now live in a small hut." Says Soneswar Narah, an indigenous activist of Assam.

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He continues, "The embankment is like an anaconda that is out to destroy Assam's fertile land and her resources, make her dependent on other countries and capitalists forever by providing long term returns for the planners."

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In Assam, embankments are being built from the 1960s. Neither deaths nor damage has systematically changed through time. In fact, floods are worse each successive year. Now, it has been proven scientifically that embankments cannot be used for regulating a river.

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Such anti-indigenous conservation policies have pushed many riverine communities like the Misings, known for their resilient riverine lifestyle and adaptability to floods, towards poverty, homelessness and death.

The ongoing Laika-Dodhia movement is a testimony.

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Recent studies suggest that sand casting due to breaches in embankment has emerged as a major issue associated with riverine hazards in the region that makes indigenous adaptation strategies ineffective.

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The need of the hour is not to continue with the promises of embankment but to understand the issue in a larger context, consult the indigenous riverine communities, understand indigenous adaptation strategies and to develop scientific conservation policies.

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"To exist with the river, one should never block the flow of the river. However, by installing these massive embankments and blocking the flow, they have angered the river."

Watch this brilliant documentary on the same to understand more on it.



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