Brahmaputra - Is it a boon or a curse for Assam?

 

The Brahmaputra, the ninth largest river in the world by  discharge, and the 15th longest is also called Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh and Luit in Assam.       

Brahmaputra means "son of Brahma" in Sanskrit (putra means "son"). It’s a a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, India and Bangladesh. About 4,696 km  long, the Brahmaputra is an important river for irrigation and transportation in the region.

The lives of many people of Assam are dependent on the Brahmaputra river. Its delta is home to 130 million people and 600,000 people live on its bank. These people rely on the annual 'normal' flood to bring moisture and fresh sediments to the floodplain soils, hence providing the necessities for agricultural and marine farming. Most of the seasonal rice varieties  cannot survive without the floodwater. Furthermore, the fish caught both on the floodplain during flood season and from the many floodplain ponds are the main source of protein for many rural populations. This way the river Brahmaputra is a boon to the people of Assam.

Assam witnesses heavy flood every year. Each year many animals in Kaziranga National Park are being killed because of these floods. It is reported that at least 79 people have lost their lives in Assam, in 2020 due to severe flooding. The effects of flood in Assam can ruin the place and can cause significant damage to crops and houses, serious bank erosions, damages school and various institutions, and make loss of many lives, livestock, and fisheries. Despite the flood-control measures, the floods in Assam turn out to uncontrollable because of the heavy flow of water. The risks of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera are high during the times of flood in Assam.  This way, Brahmaputra seems to be a curse to the people of Assam.

But the truth is that with the implementation of new ideas and technologies, people can manage to adapt with the problems created by the river, but they  can’t live without the water resources of the river. So, considering the great advantages it has been providing us, we can conclude that the Brahmaputra is a boon for Assam.