Centre directs Assam to develop wetlands restoration report to tackle flood control

The Central government has called upon Assam to expedite a detailed feasibility report on utilizing 271 wetlands for floodwater diversion and control. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, during his two-day visit to the state, instructed the Assam administration to complete the report by December, a senior state official confirmed Thursday. This ambitious wetland restoration initiative, aimed at storing excess floodwater, is expected to require an estimated budget of Rs 500 crore, though final costs will be determined following a comprehensive survey.

Mohan, in a series of meetings with state officials, reviewed strategies on flood mitigation, law enforcement, and inter-state border management, particularly involving Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh. Chief Secretary Ravi Kota explained that the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) has already pinpointed the wetlands essential for this project. “The wetlands’ restoration and their connectivity for floodwater storage is a critical step for Assam's flood management,” Kota stated, emphasizing the urgency of the study’s completion.

The initial phase will focus on nine wetlands across seven districts, chosen for their high potential to store diverted floodwaters. The Water Resources Department (WRD) has developed a preliminary plan for these nine projects, estimated at Rs 380.6 crore, with a request for additional funding from the Centre. "The Union home secretary has directed the WRD to conduct a feasibility assessment on the full list of 271 identified wetlands, ensuring thorough evaluation before implementation," Kota shared.

The WRD emphasized the project’s primary focus will be managing the tributaries of the Brahmaputra, rather than the main river itself, aiming to alleviate flood risks for villages and towns situated along these waterways. Kota noted, “This approach to connect select tributaries with major wetlands will allow us to better manage flood levels in vulnerable regions.”

The Union home secretary also discussed the possible role of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in overseeing the initiative, suggesting the agency might contribute additional resources and expertise. Additionally, discussions extended to Assam’s Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) project, backed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which integrates floodwater storage alongside sustainable fisheries development.

Mohan’s visit also focused on Assam’s longstanding border disputes with neighboring Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. After extensive talks, he confirmed that surveys on disputed boundary areas—particularly six critical zones along the Assam-Meghalaya border—will be completed within six months. Assam and Meghalaya pledged mutual cooperation for survey completion in areas such as Tarabari, Gizang, and Baklapara. For the Assam-Arunachal boundary, surveys across 38 villages are targeted for completion within a similar timeframe.

The border disputes between these states have historical roots. Assam and Meghalaya, for instance, have disagreed on 12 areas along their 884.9-km boundary. Efforts to resolve these issues led to a landmark agreement in March 2022, brokered by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where each state received near-equal shares of the disputed land.

In a similar vein, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share a contentious 804.1-km border with more than 1,200 disputed points. Following decades of contention, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in April 2023 to resolve the status of 123 villages, a promising move that awaits further Supreme Court rulings.

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