Impact of Flood and Siltation on Socio-Economy: A Case Study of Dhemaji Revenue Circle, District Dhemaji, Assam

Table of contents

1. Introduction

atural devastation event are which cannot be prevented from occurring but their impact can be minimised if effective step of measure are taken to reduce their severity and frequency. Flood and siltation are dynamic and natural process which adverse impact on livelihood as homesteads are destroyed, cultivated land are wiped out the employment opportunities are reduced. Agriculture is the main source of Dhemaji district of Assam. It is very well known to everyone that half of the population of the Dhemaji live in rural areas and directly depend on the agriculture. So any loss of land, house is devastating. The Unpredic-Author ? ?: M.sc Anthropology, Asst. professor, department of anthropology, Delhi University, North Lakhimpur College (Autonomous). e-mails: [email protected], [email protected] table and abnormal floods which cause siltation are seriously abrupt human settlement and activities. Siltation, displacement, food security, waterborne disease, agriculture loss etc has adverse socio economic impact on people by the river Jiadhal are very much subject matter to study which has much evident in the area.

2. II.

3. Objectives

? To understand the cause of flood and siltation by the river Jiadhal. ? To put stress and light upon the socio economic impact of the flood and siltation ? To understand how the local people used to mitigate and to protect flood.

4. III.

5. Methodology

The research is based upon both primary and secondary data. The primary data are collected through interview with local people and by flood mapping with the local people. The secondary data are collected from certain government offices like DDMA Dhemaji.

6. IV.

7. Result and Discussion

Assam is the land of river. Rivers are the one of the main resource of human living nearby. River has a much potential threat to human population and property through flood drought and siltation. Therefore they have potential social and economic as well as physical relevance. Flood is probably the most recurring, wide spread, frequent natural hazard of Assam. It is a very much important matter of concern that every year Assam suffers extensively due to flood and siltation. Flood is considered as the biggest cause of lass of life and property in Assam. The Jiadhal basin in Dhemaji district has a challenge in term of long and recurring flood hazard. Flood in the Jiadhal basin characterized by the extremely large magnitude, high frequency and extensive devastation. Bor dhekara Dhemaji Dhemaji

The severe impact of flood and siltation is the loss of homestead that makes the people more vulnerable to live. So for better livelihood the displaced people usually moved to nearby areas, but migration to distant places are also common. Displacement is the immediate impact of flood and siltation. Field study reveals that due to flood the villagers of Barman goan, Dihiri are now shifted to side of the new place.

ii. Loss of Agricultural land and home Loss of agricultural land and home is a very common effect of flood and siltation destroys a vast land of cultivation. Farmer can cultivate only two to three crops in a calendar year with subsistence homestead gardening.

iii. Psychological effect Flooding and siltation effect people in a multiple ways. The loss of home, property land and sometime human life create financial burden and cause emotional hardship.

8. iv. Poor transportation system

As the areas are frequently affected by flood and siltation, therefore the road networks are not well developed.

9. v. Problem of education

Almost all the village have primary and secondary school. But the inundation and destruction of school building by flood and siltation are annual phenomenon. Due to these problem irregularities in the classes, scarcity of essential infrastructure etc hampers the education system.

10. vi. Medical problem

During the hazards, people generally shifted to other places which are not very hygienic because of the high concentration of people in a limited area. Mosquitoes carry many diseases and due to flood create ideal condition for them to breed. Various waterborne like malaria, dengue, skin disease etc are very common among the villagers. Again an affected area does not get adequate medical facilities. Sometimes primary medical centre are also affected by these natural disaster.

11. b) Flood Management in the Basin

The Jiadhal basin in the Dhemaji is highly vulnerable to the management strategies. The government of Assam has taken up a number flood measure where the Jiadhal strategies taken up so far the government like: construction of embankment c) Survival strategies As flood and siltation are natural processes, therefore it is not possible to provide complete protection from these hazards. Beside the various structural measures, local people can minimize the adverse effect of flood and siltation by adopting various local techniques. They cope with the some could significantly reduced their vulnerability without outside assistance. The villager adopts the following strategies:

? Most of the houses raised the lowest floor above the possible flood level. ? Shifting of the houses out the flood prone areas.

? Guard wall by bamboo on the sides of the river to minimize the effect of the erosion as well as siltation. ? Construction of raised platform.

? Change in the crop calendar.

? Installation of flood early warning system with the help of local agency like NGO. ? Mass education.

12. d) Suggestion

? Sustainable embankment construction and its proper maintenances ? Flood plain zoning is essential to minimize the vulnerability of flood ? Flood forecasting ? The flood level during the rainy season attain endangering heights with silting of the river bed, so large scale a forestation particularly in the increase infiltration of the surface water to ground the reducing sediment load to the stream. ? Heavy guard wall on the both the side of the river should be erected so that the effect of flood could be minimized. ? A forestation in the village can minimize the vulnerability of flood and siltation. ? By stopping boulder mining in the hill top can minimize the siltation. ? Lastly unity of the people is very much necessary to work out these suggestions.

V.

13. Conclusion

Flood and siltation are one the common and quite problematic in nature. Therefore they need strategies for their control in favour of the sustainable development of the concerned area. Hazards particularly flood and siltations are very common in the Dhemaji district of Assam, This lead to huge socioeconomic loss. These hazards are now becoming the main cause of shortage of a agriculture land. As flooding and siltation continues to effect major portion of the growing population in the area, people with persistent flood and erosion problem are seeking method to flood and siltation damages.

Figure 1.
Flood of extreme high magnitude occurred in the sub basin in the years, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. The major portion of the river course is within the originating state Arunachal and terminating state Assam. The problem is more pronounced in the N Volume XV Issue I Version I inundation stays for a day or two or more. The main causes of flood in the sub basin are:
Figure 2. Table 1 :
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1. Kesukhona Koch Dhemaji Dhemaji
2. Kesukhona kochari Dhemaji Dhemaji
3. Misamari Dhemaji Dhemaji
4. Laormuri Dhemaji Dhemaji
5. Kopatoli Dhemaji Dhemaji
6. No 1; norawathan Dhemaji Dhemaji
7. No 2; norawathan Dhemaji Dhemaji
8. No 3; norawathan Dhemaji Dhemaji
9. Ghuguha Dhemaji Dhemaji
10. Puwa saikia Dhemaji Dhemaji
11. Sokola dolongi Dhemaji Dhemaji
12. Laktokiya Dhemaji Dhemaji
13. Kuwari beel Dhemaji Dhemaji
14. 1 no; tengapur Dhemaji Dhemaji
15. 2 no; tengapur Dhemaji Dhemaji
16. Kesukhana par Dhemaji Dhemaji
17. Maj dihiri Dhemaji Dhemaji
18. Ujani dihiri Dhemaji Dhemaji
19. Namoni dihiri Dhemaji Dhemaji
20. Dihiri lopong Dhemaji Dhemaji
21. Dihiri sapori Dhemaji Dhemaji
22. Dihiri kochari Dhemaji Dhemaji
23. Kekuri sapori Dhemaji Dhemaji
24. Namoni kekuri Dhemaji Dhemaji
25. Ghuguha sapori Dhemaji Dhemaji
26. Kesukhona sapori Dhemaji Dhemaji
27. Nora beel Dhemaji Dhemaji
28. Kahikusi Dhemaji Dhemaji
29. Khalihamari Dhemaji Dhemaji
30. Pehioti Dhemaji Dhemaji
31. Gohain chapori Dhemaji Dhemaji
32. Bothadoi Dhemaji Dhemaji
33. Ruptoli Dhemaji Dhemaji
34. Potholiya Dhemaji Dhemaji
35. Nepali khuti Dhemaji Dhemaji
36. Dhuba bari Dhemaji Dhemaji
37. 2 no; Samorajan Dhemaji Dhemaji
38. Changmai doloni Dhemaji Dhemaji
39. Rotuwa. Dhemaji Dhemaji
40. Tin ghoriya kekuri Dhemaji Dhemaji
41.
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Notes
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Date: 2015-01-15