Assam: Cultivation land of Rothduba village turns to desert after floods

Heavy and prolonged rainfall has devastated Rothduba village, located 8 kilometers from Margherita headquarters, transforming its fertile agricultural land into barren desert. The flooding, which has impacted much of Assam, has resulted in over 1000 bighas of farmland being covered with silt and sand from the nearby Buridehing River, severely affecting local farmers.

Babul Hussain, a farmer from Rothduba, expressed his frustration: “I live in Rothduba village, and the recent flood turned our paddy fields into a desert. We had at least 10 bighas of land, and now it’s all turned into sand. Farming is our only livelihood, and most of us in the village rely solely on it. With everything destroyed, we are in a dire situation. There are around 50 houses here, and everyone is dependent on farming. Ministers from various departments have visited, asking us for our bank details, Aadhaar cards, and other information to submit to the village headman and the mandal, but the problem remains unresolved.”

The disaster has left the village’s residents struggling as their main source of income, agriculture, has been obliterated. Despite appeals and visits from various officials who collected personal and financial details from the villagers, no effective solutions have been provided.

The lack of immediate support from the Margherita sub-divisional administration and Assam Government's Agriculture Department has exacerbated the villagers' plight. With no assistance forthcoming, the future of Rothduba village's agricultural community remains uncertain.