37,000 families lost their dwellings to erosion in Assam: Min

Nearly 37,000 families have lost their houses due to erosion across Assam over the past five years, the state Assembly was informed today.
In a written reply, Assam Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Bhumidhar Barman said a total of 36,981 houses were eroded during the last five years.
The largest number of houses were washed away in Dhubri district, where 14,324 families lost their dwelling units, Barman said replying to a query by AIUDF MLA Abdur Rahman Ajmal.
It was followed by erosion of 12,186 houses in Jorhat and 3,137 houses in Barpeta districts.
"The government has taken up a scheme to rehabilitate the erosion affected families who are landless under the CM's Special Package for Rehabilitation of Erosion Affected Families of Assam.

"A fund of Rs 500 lakh has been earmarked in the current year's Budget for the purpose," the minister said.

In addition to this, there is a provision of giving preference as per the Land Policy 1989 in case of allotment of land to eligible erosion affected families, he added.
However, replying to a separate query by AIUDF MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed, Barman said, "As per information received from 15 districts, some landless people affected by erosion are now living in their land in other parts. Some are living on embankments and roadside, while some are living on leased land."

In those said 15 districts, 880 villages have been eroded completely and 67 villages were eroded partially, he added.