Assam: Son Beel gets 60-crore development package from Karimganj DC

If the Union Government approves the recently proposed funding, Sonbeel, the largest wetland in the Northeast and the second largest in Asia, will be given a major makeover. The location in southern Assam's Karimganj district is an ideal tourist spot because of the dazzling water of the fresh water lake, the natural beauty of the hills surrounding it, a dynamic fishing town with rich folk culture, and a large avian and Piscean population. Mridul Yadav, the Deputy Commissioner of Karimganj, had submitted a proposal for the 'Development of Sonbeel as a Tourist Destination' worth Rs 60 crore.

"There are many line department projects incorporated into the initial report that includes forest, agriculture, water resource, fishery and tourism development. Initially, we are submitting a concept paper and once it has been sanctioned, more detailed and micro-level project details will be prepared", Yadav said.

The marsh covers around 3,000 hectares and is primarily fed by the Singla River. The most astonishing feature about the Beel is that throughout the winter, it transforms into farmland for rice growing, and then the land fills with water to form a lake. The lake's shallow depth causes it to overflow during the rainy season, and the water travels to Bangladesh via the Kakra River, where it meets the Kushiara River. The Evergreen Forest covers 40% of the Beel's periphery, which is abundantly rich in fish biodiversity, with roughly 69 distinct fish species, most of which are tiny fishes. Every year, it also accommodates the migration of Siberian birds for three months.

Son Beel is surrounded by 100 villages, and the wetland provides a direct source of income for almost 50,000 people through fishing and paddy cultivation. Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL) recently issued a request for proposals from experts to undertake a feasibility study and develop a full project report for a 70-90MW floating solar project on Sonbeel Lake in the district. "We are still in the proposal stage for the development package, and we are waiting for the government's approval. Following that, a thorough outline of the project would be drawn out "Yadav went on to say.