Beki River Erosion Renders Families Homeless in Assam's Barpeta

Amguri village, under the Kalgachia Revenue Circle in Assam's Barpeta district, continues to face severe erosion caused by the Beki River. Despite the erosion persisting for over a year, the past month has witnessed particularly destructive activity, resulting in the complete submergence of homes of nearly 15 families.

Several families, having lost their dream homes and properties, have been rendered homeless and are now living in dire conditions. The continuous erosion also swallowed hundreds of bighas of agricultural land, destroying crops and pushing affected residents to the brink of despair.

Local residents have expressed deep disappointment over the inaction of both the administration and elected representatives in taking preventive measures against the erosion. With the situation worsening, the erosion now poses a serious threat to nearby areas including Amguri, Sawpur, Udomari, and Kalgachia.

The public has issued an urgent and emotional appeal to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take immediate steps to prevent further erosion. They fear that without prompt intervention, a large part of the region could soon fall victim to the river’s devastation.

Speaking on the issue, one of the village residents said, “The Beki River has been causing severe erosion in the Amguri area, and the situation has worsened significantly over the past six months. At least 20 families have already lost their homes to the river's relentless advance. Despite repeated appeals, the state government's response has been disappointingly indifferent. It is disheartening to see that even the safety and livelihoods of citizens living near a relatively small river like the Beki are not being adequately secured. We are left questioning whether this negligence stems from the fact that Amguri is a minority-dominated area. We sincerely urge the government not to differentiate between minority and majority regions and to give equal priority to the genuine concerns of all communities.”

Locals further expressed that the erosion-hit areas have turned into a selfie point for the elected representatives. “Unfortunately, the erosion-hit areas seem to have become mere photo-op locations for elected representatives. MLAs and ministers occasionally visit, conduct site inspections, take photographs, and share them on social media. However, no concrete or lasting measures have been initiated to address the problem. We, therefore, earnestly appeal to our elected representatives to go beyond symbolic gestures and take meaningful action to resolve this pressing issue before more families lose their homes and livelihoods,” a local resident added.

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