Flood-affected locals block Sivasagar road, demand river dredging

Dibrugarh: Members of the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad, Assam (TAYPA), along with local residents, blocked the Geleki-Nazira road in Sivasagar district on Monday, demanding govt intervention to address the flooding and erosion problems that have long afflicted the Geleki area.
The six-hour blockade, which lasted from 5 am to 11 am, severely disrupted traffic flow on the busy thoroughfare, particularly affecting oil tankers and ONGC vehicles attempting to access the Geleki oilfield.
The protesters highlighted that annual flooding caused by four major rivers — the Doikhona, Namdang, Isoi and Densi — and all tributaries of the Brahmaputra has wreaked havoc on local communities. Their primary grievance centered around the govt's lack of initiative to excavate the rivers, resulting in significant siltation that has made the riverbeds increasingly shallow and prone to overflow during monsoon seasons.
"These four rivers have been causing massive destruction to our agricultural lands, homes and livelihoods for years. Govt's persistent failure to implement proper flood control measures has resulted in widespread displacement and economic hardship for our people," TAYPA leader Pranab Gogoi said.
Local farmer Bimal Hazarika, whose family has lost nearly three acres of paddy fields to erosion over the past decade, said, "Every monsoon, we live in fear. The water comes higher each year, and more of our land disappears. We want govt to take preventive action now, during the dry season, rather than offering flood relief after our homes are already underwater."
The protesters submitted a memorandum to Nazira co-district commissioner Kanika Rathee, demanding immediate dredging of the rivers before the monsoon.