Arunachal: Borguli farmers build boulder bunds to battle Siang erosion, urge government intervention

Amidst growing threats from recurrent monsoon floods and soil erosion caused by the Siang River (a major tributary of the Brahmaputra), farmers of Kongkin Rikyu Wetland Rice Cultivation (WRC) fields in Borguli village, under Mebo Sub-Division of East Siang district, have initiated a voluntary flood control initiative. The initiative, now in its third consecutive day, aims to mitigate soil erosion that endangers the livelihood and agricultural fields of nearly 60 families in the region.

Led by the Kongkin Rikyu WRC Field Farmers’ Group, local residents have begun constructing boulder bunds at two vulnerable river-striking points near the confluence of the Tatsing and Siang rivers, south of New Borguli. With no government support yet in sight, the villagers are financing the initiative through collective contributions from affected families and community well-wishers.

“We couldn’t wait any longer for the government’s intervention. If we delay, our fields might not survive the upcoming monsoon,” said Joito Tayeng, President of the farmers' group, and Tokmin Sisam, General Secretary. “We appeal to the state government to act before it’s too late.”

Two retired teachers and flood-affected farmers, Pampok Lego and Joint Tayeng, echoed similar concerns, stating that the Siang River now flows dangerously close to their WRC fields. Without immediate intervention, this monsoon could wipe out large tracts of cultivable land, they warned.

Kalingbung Tayeng, a youth leader involved in the boulder bund construction, described the project as the community's “last line of defense” to safeguard their only source of livelihood. He made a direct appeal to Chief Minister Pema Khandu for urgent funding for permanent flood control measures along the left bank of the Siang River in the Kongkin-Borguli stretch.

The area has been grappling with severe flood-induced erosion since the year 2000, when a devastating flash flood — widely referred to as the “Chinese Flood” — drastically altered the river’s course from the right bank to the left, leading to annual destruction of agricultural land in the Monggu Banggo area under the 39th Assembly Constituency.

Over the last two and a half decades, the continuous erosion has destroyed critical infrastructure including the Mebo-Dhola Road, electrical connections, school buildings, and healthcare centers. Much of this devastation has occurred in the past 8–10 years.

Local residents now call upon the state government to construct permanent flood control infrastructure, such as a road-cum-flood protection bund, stretching from Sigar to Mer villages — a 20-30 km vulnerable stretch — to ensure the long-term safety of their land and livelihood.