GUWAHATI: A Bill aimed at zoning Assam’s floodplains and regulating land use along river channels is proposed to be tabled in the upcoming winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
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Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, November 5, reviewed the progress towards enacting Assam’s proposed Flood Plain Zoning Bill, which, according to would be a key step towards strengthening integrated flood risk management.
Unfortunately, floods have been a perennial issue for Assam, impacting a large cross-section of people living specifically along the floodplains. Assam has two major rivers, the Brahmaputra and the Barak, with dozens of tributaries. Land degradation is now a widely reported phenomenon caused by floods in Assam.
The proposed legislation will regulate land use along river channels through designated prohibited and restricted zones, supported by Flood Zoning Authorities at multiple levels.
“It will cover both rural and urban areas, helping protect lives, property and livelihoods while allowing rivers the space to follow their natural courses during floods,” the Chief Minister’s Office said.
The Chief Minister directed that the framework must safeguard the interests of ST and SC communities traditionally residing along riverbanks. The Bill is proposed to be tabled in the next session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
Assam’s extremely dynamic monsoon regime, combined with the unique physiographic setting of its river basins and the increasing effects of rapid climate change in the region, has been considered the most significant cause of frequent floods in the state.
