The Brahmaputra Board has created flood and erosion control master plans for 52 rivers connecting Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, but none of these have been fully implemented till now; even the master plan for Brahmaputra is not implemented
The flood situation in Assam deteriorated with over 16.50 lakh population affected in 29 districts and the major rivers flowing above the danger mark across the state this year. This phenomenon is not new as Assam reels under flood devastation almost every year. For combating floods and erosion, the Brahmaputra Board was formed in 1982. Its mission was regulation and development of interstate Brahmaputra and Barak River Valley by planning and such other measures so as to achieve flood-free Assam and development and utilisation of water resources of the Brahmaputra. Ironically, whatever the Brahmaputra Board has done till date, has not helped Assam to get rid of the devastating floods. The major concern is that the master plans, which were prepared by the board, remain unused.
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The Brahmaputra Board had a target of preparing 70 master plans in a phased manner. The first phase was to cover Brahmaputra River, second Barak River and its tributaries. The third phase was to focus on tributaries of the Brahmaputra and Majuli Island.
Out of the 70 master plans to be prepared, the Brahmaputra Board prepared 52 and these were approved by the Union Ministry of Water Resources.
The master plans provided due consideration to the flood control, river training, watershed management, erosion control etc (structural measures) and flood forecasting and warning (non-structural measures) to mitigate floods / flood damages in Brahmaputra and Barak Valley. It was recommended in the various master plans prepared by Brahmaputra Board that the key to a reasonably effective and long-term solution to the flood problems in Brahmaputra and Barak valleys lies in construction of storage projects in major tributaries subject to downstream impact study of all the proposed hydroelectric river valley projects, said a source in Brahmaputra Board on condition of anonymity.
A number of recommendations have been made in the 52 approved master plans. The master plans were sent to the state governments concerned for their implementation. Water being a state subject, most of the actions were required to be undertaken by the state governments for flood control, anti-erosion and flood proofing works, said the source. The projects are implemented and funded by the states as per their own priorities, stressed the source.
The provision of outlays, allocation and achievements on the master plans in respect of state governments therefore depends upon them. The state governments were requested by the Brahmaputra Board for the same.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi after visiting Guwahati in 2017 announced a package of ₹2,700 crore for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood-mitigation measures in the flood-hit Northeastern (NE) states.
He then also announced setting up of a committee to study ways to synergize efforts towards finding a long-term solution to the problem of recurrent floods in the region and ₹100 crore was promised for the purpose which includes studies on the Brahmaputra and its tributaries besides all other major rivers of the region.
Interestingly though, sources in Brahmaputra Board and Central Water Commission are unaware of any such committee announced by Modi.
A source in Brahmaputra Board said, “We have powers only to plan, make master plans and suggest solutions to the stakeholders,” adding that the rest depends on them (state governments) if they are implementing.
Department of water resources in the state is the implementing agency and the Assam water resources department has not done enough to implement the master plans prepared and suggested by Brahmaputra Board.
A source in department of water resources talking to GPlus on condition of anonymity said, “The suggestions of Brahmaputra Board in the master plans they made are not fully implemented in any river because of technical issues.
The source said that there were short-term and long-term suggestions. Long-term suggestions included water storage at upper streams which means construction of dams. “The state individually cannot construct dams because there is a huge fund requirement,” said the source adding therefore there is no such initiative taken by the state government or proposed as most of the areas where the rivers originate are outside Assam. Without the Centre taking an initiative to build dams or storage at upper streams of the rivers long-term solution suggested by Brahmaputra Board is impossible. The source cited the example of Subansiri dam work – by NHPC - on which is going on since many years.
The water resources department source also talked about short-term solutions like construction of embankments which, according to the master plan, are suggested at some points in all the rivers, but depending on the flood scenario, the priority changes.
The source said, “The master plan suggestion for a river may ask for an embankment construction at a particular spot but the river breach may be in a different place which was not mentioned in the master plan,” adding that the state has to work according to the present situation.
The source further said that the master plans of the Brahmaputra Board are not updated whereas the situation of the rivers changes every year. The state works according to the prevailing situation and the available funds for utilisation. “The Brahmaputra Board should update master plan frequently according to the prevailing situation which is not happening, so implementing the master plan is difficult,” said the source adding that Brahmaputra master plan was updated last in 1986 and the 52 rivers was approved in 2006, but since then many changes have taken place and it is not updated.
A source in Brahmaputra Board said that master plans preparation takes a long time and updating requires similar exercise. The body which is making master plans should also implement it and only then a holistic solution can be achieved, said the source adding that Brahmaputra Board requires more powers.
New avatar of Brahmaputra Board soon
North East Water Management Authority NEWMA will cover eight states of the Northeast and West Bengal
Brahmaputra Board at present is not functioning to its optimum level and requires a revamp to be able to help the region find flood control solutions. Accordingly the Centre in coordination with the Northeastern states has decided to transform Brahmaputra Board into North East Water Management Authority (NEWMA).
A source in Brahmaputra Board said that 80 per cent staff of the Brahmaputra Board is retired and the organisation is facing a serious manpower crisis.
A total of 230 posts- more than half of its sanctioned staff strength - have been lying vacant for a long time. Most posts are filled on a deputation basis. According to sources in the Board, the total sanctioned strength of the Board is 415. There are 80 Group A posts, but 40 of these are vacant. Of the 40 posts, 14 are direct recruitment posts. In Group B, the total strength of sanctioned posts is 148, of which 72 are still vacant. Interestingly, 114 of these are direct recruitment posts. The total strength of Group C staff is 187, with 118 of these lying vacant at present. Notably, 153 of the posts are to be filled through direct recruitment.
A senior official of the board talking to GPlus on condition of anonymity said, “Brahmaputra Board will soon transform into NEWMA where eight states of the Northeast and West Bengal will work in coordination,” adding that there will be two important bodies – governing body and executive body.
The governing body will be headed by the Union water resource minister and the chief ministers of the nine states will be the members.
The executive body will implement the decisions taken by the governing body. The executive body will have officials of Centre and all the nine states as members.
The source said that all these days Brahmaputra Board only had powers of planning flood and erosion control measures but after NEWMA is formed the body will have powers to develop all the water ways in eight states and northern part of West Bengal. May be after the formation of NEWMA the master plans made by the Brahmaputra Board will be implemented.
The Brahmaputra Board source claimed unless the master plans are implemented no long-term solution to flood in Assam is possible.
