Specific Suggestions

In the light of above analysis, discussion and findings we would like to propose the following

specific suggestions to restore the lifeline status of River Brahmaputra in the economy of

Assam:

(i) To arrest negative impact of frequent floods and change of the course of the river

modern science & technology needs to be supplemented with traditional local

knowledge and practices.

(ii) Since riverbank vegetation has a crucial role to play in stabilizing bank sediments to

reduce erosion, and provides a shield between the river and the rest of the

catchments, efforts should be made to protect the existing vegetation and create new

vegetation through plantation wherever it does not exist. Involvement of the local

inhabitants in this exercise is a must.

(iii) Infrastructure in Ghats has to be developed for smooth movement of people and

vehicles.

(iv) At tourist spots, star and budget hotels need to be constructed to attract more

tourists. For example, at Majuli there is no single standard hotel/resort for overnight

stay by the tourist.

(v) A nominal river bank environment development fee can be imposed on every tourist

and tourist vehicles entering the river islands. This fee should be included on the

price of the tickets sold at the ferry ghats/ports. The state Government and local

bodies can think of imposing a Brahmaputra development fee from different users

and beneficiaries to be exclusively used for the development of vegetation and

environment on the banks of the river.

(vi) Similarly, provision of river bank vegetation bonus can be introduced by

Government to be awarded to local river bank communities to encourage an element

of healthy completion amongst them.

(vii) Programmes and policies of flood management and prevention of river bank erosion

need to be converged across Departments and stake holders.

(viii) Industrial units that have been identified and shown in the findings section and

discharging their effluents in to the river must be held accountable. A four pronged

strategy of appropriate tax/fee imposition, legislation, administrative stipulations

and moral persuasion should be undertaken.

(ix) Since the settlers in char areas mostly dependent on cultivation of land for their

livelihood this creates excessive pressure on land. Thus immediate measures need to

be taken at the level of Government and NGOs to provide the settlers with

alternative non-agricultural job opportunities.

(x) As the Char settlers also suffer from vicious circle of poverty and

underdevelopment, external intervention through Government and other civil

society agencies is necessary. The specific interventions should be in the field of

education and health.

(xi) The last socioeconomic survey for the Char areas was undertaken in 2003-04.

Hence there is a need to immediately undertake a fresh socioeconomic survey for

these areas.

(xii) Since the gap between demand and supply of fish in Assam is huge, and the river

Brahmaputra and its tributaries provide ample scope of fish cultivation, concerted

effort must be made to exploit this untapped potential. The Institution of Fish

Federation particularly should be efficiently leveraged at the grass root level in this

context.

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Table 1: Socio-Demographic Profile of Assam, 2011 and 2001

Sl.

No. Variable

Year

2011 2001

1 Actual Population 31,205,576 26,655,528

2 Male 15,939,443 13,777,037

3 Female 15,266,133 12,878,491

4 Population Growth 17.07% 18.85%

5 Population as a parent of All India Population 2.58% 2.59%

6 Sex Ratio 958 935

7 Density/km2 398 340

8 Literacy 72.19 % 63.25 %

9 Male Literacy 77.85 % 71.28 %

10 Female Literacy 66.27 % 54.61 %

11 Urbanisation 14.08 12.90

Source: Census of India, 2011 and 2001

Table 2: Trend and Sectoral Contribution of GSDPof Assam at Constant (2004-05)

Prices(₹ in lakhs)

Sl.

No. Sector 2004-05 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

1 Agriculture & Allied 1365566 2873235 3024579 3203456 3720595

2 Mining & Quarrying 467925 711900 816017 826489 791185

3 Primary Sector (=1+2) 1833491 3585135 3840596 4029945 4511780

4 Secondary Sector 1002584 2135184 2399902 2466523 2715621

5 Industry (=2+4) 1470509 2847084 3215919 3293012 3506806

6 Tertiary Sector 2503696 5548477 6349809 7343619 8718631

7 GSDP (=3+4+6) 5339771 11268796 12590307 13840087 15946032

8 State Per Capita Income

(₹) 18993 37053 40890 44406 50558

Source: Economic Survey, Assam 2014-15, Govt. of Assam.

Table 3: Changing Pattern of Land Use for Adaptation of Flood inAssam

District Net Sown Area

Area Sown more than

Once Fallow Land

1950-51 1975-76 2010-11 1950-51 1975-76 2010-11 1950-51 1975-76 2010-11

Cachar 26.22 30.71 32.29 5.21 10.35 11.56 9.70 6.70 5.10

Goalpara 23.39 37.62 40.51 10.25 15.33 18.20 4.40 2.60 1.90

Kamrup 42.23 46.00 52.12 14.20 23.65 24.10 2.10 3.30 2.80

Darrang 30.46 40.44 42.40 4.20 9.400 10.16 10.10 3.40 2.90

Nagaon 43.37 45.41 48.14 5.10 8.61 10.20 5.50 2.80 2.50

Sibsagar 30.42 40.56 48.54 2.10 3.50 4.20 15.40 5.70 3.60

Lakhimpur 19.41 27.86 30.80 2.00 4.60 6.20 5.16 3.50 2.90

Dibrugarh 29.31 38.93 46.22 NA NA NA 7.26 3.86 3.20

Source: Govt. of Assam, Statistical Handbook, Assam 2014 & 2012.

Table 4: Brahmaputra, its Tributaries and Use of their Surface Water

Sl.

No. Districts City/Town River Use of Surface Water

1 Tinsukia Sakhowaghat

Brahmaputra

Ferry services, melon farming, cattle wading, transport

2 Dibrugarh Nagagholli,

Maizan

Cultivation of tea garden, cattle wading, dredging, sand

recovery, ferry ghat, fishing, transport, forestry.

3 Sibsagar Desangmukh Vegetable cultivation, cattle wading, bathing, washing,

fishing

4 Jorhat Nimatighat Cattle wading, ferry services, bathing, washing,

Kakilamukh Bird Sanctuary, Forestry.

5 Golaghat, Dhanbari Sand recovery, fishing, bathing, boating, cultivation,

forestry, discharge of NRL effluents.

6 Guwahati, Saraighat Ferry services, cattle wading, sand recovery, fishing,

bathing, washing, boating and human settlement

7 Bongaigaon Goalpara Cattle wading, sand recovery, fishing, bathing,

washing, drinking, ferry transport.

8 Dhubri Dhubri Cattle wading, sand recovery, fishing, bathing,

washing, cultivation.

9 Kamrup

Metro Sadilapur

Boating, bathing, discharge of refinery effluents

(NRL), town runoffs, water discharge, vegetable

cultivation, cattle wading, fishing, jetty.

10 North

Lakhimpur Gerukamukh

Subansiri

Dam construction for Hydro-electric power generation.

11 North

Lakhimpur Chaowlohoaghat

Cattle wading, sand recovery, washing, bathing and

fishing etc.

12 North

Lakhimpur

Alichiga,

Bordubi

Fishing, paddy farming, forestry, melon farming, cattle

wading

13 Tinsukia Margherita

Buridihing

Sand recovery, bathing, washing, stone crushing unit,

domestic sewage disposal through surface run offs, Tea

gardens on opposite bank.

14 Dibrugarh

Gammon

Dullang,

Khowang

Grazing, bathing, run offs from upper Assam Industrial

areas of oil and coal fields, vegetable farming, paddy

cultivation, fishing, sand recovery, Jokai Reserve

wildlife.

15 Sibsagar Dihingmukh Vegetable farming, bathing, washing, fishing, boating

etc., paddy fields.

16 Dibrugarh Lalpagarighat

Disang

Water body receives effluents of HFC, surface run offs

from Namrup Industrial township, vegetable

cultivation, stone collection, ferry services.

17 Sibsagar Rajabari Cattle wading, sand recovery, washing, bathing,

fishing, grazing cattle

18 Sibsagar Sepaigaon

Receives HFC effluents, vegetable cultivation, cattle

wading, sand recovery, boat transport, bathing and

washing activities, wildlife, paddy cultivation

19 Lakhimpur Alichiga,

Bordubi Subansiri

Fishing, paddy farming, forestry, melon farming, cattle

wading

20 North

Lakhimpur Chaowlohoaghat

Cattle wading, sand recovery, washing, bathing and

fishing etc.

21 Sonitpur Bhoomuraguri,

Tejpur

Brahmaputra

Vegetable, paddy cultivation, bathing, washing, fishing

and boating, open defaecation, wildlife

22 Bongaigaon Jogighopa

Water Intake of Jogighopa Paper Mill, coal transport

by ship and boats, cremation, mustard vegetable

cultivation, fishing, open defaecation, paddy field,

human settlement.

Source:Govt. of India, Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Delhi, 2005

Table 5: Use of Brahmaputra and its Tributaries by Major Industries

Sl.

No. Place/City/Town Industry Type of Use

1 Guwahati Guwahati Refinery Discharges of treated effluent

directly into the river

2 Sadilapur,

Guwahati Numaligarh Refinery (NRL) Discharge of refinery effluents

3 Gammon Dullang,

Khowang

Upper Assam Industrial

Areas of oil and Coal fields.

Discharge of industrial and

mining effluents

4 Namrup

Brahmaputra Valley

Fertilizer, Assam

Petrochemicals Ltd., ONGCL

drilling

Discharge of effluents of

HFC, surface run offs

5 Dhanbari Numaligarh Refinery (NRL) Discharge of effluents.

6 Jogighopa Jogighopa Paper Mill Water Intake, discharge of

effluents

Source: Govt. of India, Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment and Forest, 2005.

Table 6: Ports and Ferry Ghats in Different Districts in Assam

Sl. No. District Ports/Ferry Ghats Km.

1

Kamrup

Sukhleshwar Ferry Terminal 2.1

2 Majgaon Ferry Ghat 2.7

3 Ferry Ghat 5.0

4 IWT Terminal Pandu Port 11.5

5 Inland Port 12.6

6 Barpeta Ferry Boating 129.5

7 Sonitpur LaukhoaFeriGhat 164.8

8

Jorhat

Brahmaputra FerryMajuli 383.6

9 NimatiKamalabari Ferry Ghat 398.2

10 Dibrugarh Bogbil Ferry 466.5

Source: <http://maps.mapmyindia.com/explore/sea+port-in-guwahati-assam>

Table 7: No. of Fleets and Workers in Inland Water Transport in Assam

Passenger Ferry Vessel Nos. Commercial Vessel Nos. Workers Nos.

Steel Vessel 45 Pushur Tug 04 Regular Staff

(Technical) 1384

Wooden Boat 35 Terminal Facility &

Barges 35

Regular Staff (Non-

Technical) 2948

Pontoon 25 River Cruise (VIP) 03 M.R. Workers 1012

Shallow Draft Boat

(Steel & wooden) 50

River Cruise (S.D.

Boat) 03 Total Workers 5344

Country Boat (Wooden) 07 Motor Tug 02

Total Passenger Ferry

Vessel 162

Total Commercial

Vessel 47

Source: Govt. of Assam, Department of Transport, Inland Water Transport, Dispur, 2012.

Table 8: Cargo and Transportation of Passengers and Cars in Assam

Transportation of Cargo

Transportation of Passenger and Car

Down Stream Cargo Up Stream Cargo

Forest Product Food Grain Passenger (Nos.) 76,56,881

Stone Boulder Fertilizer Motor Cycle (Nos.) 6,27,496

Paper Iron, Steel &Cement Bicycle (Nos.) 9,12,178

Lime Stone & Dolomite Bitumen LMV (Nos.) 18,758

Petroleum Product ODC Cart/Rickshaw (Nos.) 4,045

Coal Industrial Raw Material Auto Van (Nos.) 6,000

Tea Animals (Nos.) 18,191

Crude Oil Cargo (MT) 39,746

Lube Oil

Source: Govt. of Assam, Department of Transport, Inland Water Transport, Dispur, 2012.

Table 9: Small Hydro Schemes in Northeast Region

State

Site Identified

(3 MW)

Site Identified

(3-15 MW) Total

Nos. Capacity Nos. Capacity Nos. Capacity

Arunachal Pradesh 433 382.31 49 460.72 482 843.03

Assam 38 50.00 8 68.00 46 118.00

Manipur 91 59.75 4 29.88 95 89.63

Meghalaya 83 41.00 13 97.50 96 138.50

Mizoram 73 42.32 13 101.00 86 143.32

Nagaland 67 26.89 17 117.50 84 144.39

Tripura 8 9.85 - - 8 9.85

Total 793 612.12 104 874.60 897 1486.72

Source: North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited, Shillong, Meghalaya.

Table 10: Major Tourism Hot Spots along the Bank of River Brahmaputra

Sl.

No. City/Town/ Place Major Attractions

1 Guwahati Gateway to the north east, Kamakhya temple, River Crusoe and

the temple Umananda.

2 Hajo Religious places prime being Hayagrib Madhab Temple &Pao

mecca

3 Chandubi Natural lagoon & fine picnic spot

4 Sualkuchi Famous for Assam Silk industries(muga& pat)

5 Madan kamdev Magnificent archaeological ruins

6 Pobitora A small wildlife sanctuary

7 Batadrawa Birth place of Shri Sankardeva

8 Laokhowa Wildlife sanctuary

9 Pobha Wildlife sanctuary

10 Dibrusaikhowa Bird sanctuary

11 Garampani Hot water spring

12 Barpetasatra Religious place for Vaishnavas

13 Manas The only tiger project in Assam

14 Orang Wildlife sanctuary

15 Nameri National park

16 Bhalukpung Eco camp at jai bhoroli

17 Tezpur Famous for Da –parbatiyaBamuni Hills Agnigarh

18 Majuli Largest river island in the World, Vaishnava Satras, Boating

19 Kaziranga Oldest national park in the State, home of one horned Rhino

Source:Mahindra Acres Consulting Engineers Ltd. (MACE) Chennai (2002).

Table 11: Number of Tourists to Assam and Revenue Earned

Year Indian Tourists Foreign

Tourists

Total

Tourists

Total Revenue earned from Tourist

Lodges only (₹ in lakh)

2006-07 3479870 13657 3493527 81.3

2007-08 3489814 13799 3503613 94.99

2008-09 3698706 14533 3713239 103.92

2009-10 3895525 14694 3910219 131.63

2010-11 4127447 15633 4143080 143.6

2011-12 4408336 16660 4424996 184.49

2012-13 4544666 17708 4562374 248.19

2013-14 4444393 19086 4463479 191.32

Source: Economic Survey Assam, 2014-15, Govt. of Assam; Note: Tourists who have stayed in tourist lodges

and other accommodations.

Table 12: Fishery Resources in Assam, 2014-15

Sl. No. Types of Fisheries Number Water Spread Areas

1 River Fisheries 55 4820 Km.

2 Beels 1197 100815ha.

3 Forest Fisheries 71 5017 ha.

4 Derelict Water

Bodies/Swamp 3887 116444ha.

5 Reservoir Fisheries 2 2553ha.

6 Ponds and Tank 368014 60391ha.

Source: Govt. of Assam, Department of Fishery, Dispur.

Table 13: Trend of Fish Seed and Fish Production in Assam

Year

Fish Seed Production

(In million nos.)

Fish Production

(In thousand tons)

Target Achievement Target Achievement

2007-08 2800 3206 200.00 190.00

2008-09 3000 3429 210.00 206.00

2009-10 3500 3326 225.00 218.00

2010-11 4300 4264 235.00 232.00

2011-12 4300 4490 250.00 243.87

2012-13 4500 4364 255.00 254.27

2013-14 4500 4546 265.00 267.00

Source: Govt. of Assam, Department of Fishery, Dispur.

Table 14: Fish & Fish Seed (Fry) Production during the Year 2014-15

Sl.

No. District

Production of Fish Seed

(In million nos.)

Production of Fish

(In tons)

1 Barpeta 2328.33 18730

2 Baksa 47.02 5961

3 Bongaigaon 18.50 7210

4 Cachar 10.00 22050

5 Chirang 109.15 2010

6 Darrang 24.07 10050

7 Dhemaji 17.00 5510

8 Dhubri 13.9 14.69

9 Dibrugarh 22.70 10660

10 Goalpara 117.50 7960

11 Golaght 30.05 8603

12 Hailakandi 212.92 10680

13 Jorhat 8.16 13720

14 Kamrup 127.65 22150

15 KarbiAnglong 0.00 2290

16 Karimganj 90.00 17750

17 Kokrajhar 45.70 4100

18 Lakhimpur 29.90 12850

19 Morigaon 63.77 13950

20 N.C. Hills 0.00 790120.3

21 Nagaon 1174.50 29896

22 Nalbari 8.60 11340

23 Sibsagar 29.81 11260

24 Sonitpur 19.48 8160

25 Tinsukia 15.75 15.75

26 Udalguri 25.00 2101

Total 4585.07 282700

Source: Govt. of Assam, Department of Fishery, Dispur.

Table 15: No. of Beelsand Water Area under Beelsin Assam

District

Un Registered Beels No. Beels under AFDC

No. of Beels Water Area (ha)

Barpeta 40 459.70

Bongaigaon 44 356.92

Cachar 105 3270.50

Darrang 09 233.00

Dhemaji 32 219.66

Dhubri 42 603.40

Dibrugarh 3 127.00

Goalpara 63 848.80

Golaghat 61 570.10

Hailakandi Nil Nil

Jorhat 111 1347.19

Kamrup 183 2929.75

KarbiAng-long 17 57.78

Karimganj 67 1608.46

Kokrajhar 51 444.69

Lakhimpur 12 364.90

Morigaon 97 902.97

N.C. Hills 08 3.06

Nalbari 14 367.00

Nagaon 191 1859.47

Sibsagar 160 5193.64

Sonitpur 45 251.57

Tinsukia 32 434.67

Baksa 06 70.00

All Assam 1393 22524.23 192

Source: Govt. of Assam, Department of Fishery, Dispur.

Table 16: Annual Average Flood Damages in the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam

Period

Annually flooded

area (million

hectares)

Flooded

crop as a

% of total

inundated

Affected

no. of

population

Affected

population

per ha of

flooded

area

Damages

(million

rupees*)

Value of

crop lost

as % of

total

damages Total Cropped

1953-59 1.13 0.10 8.85 860,000 0.8 58.6 66

1960-69 0.75 0.16 21.33 1,520,000 2.0 75.7 92

1970-79 0.87 0.18 20.69 2,000,000 2.3 151.8 89

1980-88 1.43 0.40 28.05 4,550,000 3.2 1,455.2 96

1999-

2005 1.07 0.38 35.65 4,586,000 4.3 7,171.7 34

Source: Govt. of Assam, Water Resources Department, Dispur. *Inflation unadjusted.

Table 17: Selected Statistics of the Char Areas in Assam, 2003-04 (I)

District

No. of

Char

Villages

Total

Population

Land* Literacy

(%)

B.P.L.

Population

(%) Total

Land

Cultivable

Land

Kamrup 175 154508 17162 11654 15.16 68.00

Nalbari 32 83602 13432 8996 16.24 68.36

Barpeta 277 268344 36655 24736 17.63 66.78

Goalpara 179 186826 19860 13728 13.65 68.57

Bongaigaon 117 135809 14256 9520 12.46 67.50

Dhubri 480 689909 99898 67124 14.60 69.00

Darrang 134 142405 16756 11239 12.34 66.94

Morigaon 39 91324 11932 7954 18.50 67.00

Nagaon 43 89803 12036 8056 17.59 66.79

Jorhat 293 215095 42174 28016 60.55 64.00

Sonitpur 145 145729 24168 16410 16.93 68.00

Lakhimpur 109 143235 21523 14451 18.50 69.02

Dhemaji 149 91203 16976 11347 15.69 70.93

Tinsukia 79 52605 14094 9496 14.00 68.90

TOTAL 2251 2490397 360927 242277 19.31 67.90

Source: Socio-Economic Survey Report, 2003-04, Directorate of Char Areas Development, Govt. of Assam;

* Land in hectare.

Table 18: Selected Statistics of the Char Areas in Assam, 1992-93

District

No. of

Char

Villages

Total

Population

Land* Literacy

(%)

B.P.L.

Population

(%) Total

Land

Cultivable

Land

Kamrup 148 105687 5401.72 3781.20 16.85 53.0

Nalbari 58 62892 8558.97 5500.58 7.90 54.2

Barpeta 351 275525 27881.36 19516.95 12.90 55.0

Goalpara 187 130007 11623.45 8136.41 8.38 53.2

Bongaigaon 150 110215 11367.00 7956.90 12.85 54.0

Dhubri 313 233206 86925.22 60847.65 19.06 54.2

Darrang 121 135876 6661.36 4662.95 10.12 55.0

Morigaon 41 55581 6804.66 4763.26 8.02 52.5

Nagaon 29 45161 3265.25 2285.67 9.44 55.0

Jorhat 210 141901 5576.38 3903.46 31.90 25.0

Sonitpur 118 92061 24014.06 20309.84 12.63 43.0

Lakhimpur 182 110200 12069.51 8455.65 14.01 49.0

Dhemaji 95 68998 13517.00 9461.90 14.44 46.8

Tinsukia 86 33034 10324.00 7226.80 14.20 34.5

TOTAL 2089 1600244 239000.00 167300.00 15.45 48.90

Source: Socio-Economic Survey Report, 1992-93, Char Areas Development Authority, Govt. of Assam; * Land

in hectare.

Table 19: Selected Statistics of Char Areas in Assam, 2003-04 (II)

Sl.

No. District

Total

Family

(Nos.)

BPL Family Literacy

(%)

No. of Educational Institutions

Nos. Percentage LP M.E. High H.S. College

1 Kamrup 27834 18954 68.00 15.16 107 17 5 1 1

2 Nalbari 16103 11008 68.36 16.24 61 18 12 - -

3 Barpeta 45792 30680 66.78 17.63 288 80 28 1 2

4 Goalpara 30136 20644 68.57 13.65 142 58 14 - 2

5 Bongaigaon 27813 18775 67.50 12.46 103 39 9 - 1

6 Dhubri 109748 75725 69.00 14.60 315 116 37 2 2

7 Darrang 29617 19827 66.94 12.34 105 11 3 -

8 Morigaon 18129 12146 67.00 18.50 43 5 2 - -

9 Nagaon 17920 11969 66.79 17.59 28 9 2 - -

10 Jorhat 35316 22602 64.00 60.55 423 138 90 4 8

11 Sonitpur 23428 15931 68.00 16.93 88 29 4 - -

12 Lakhimpur 23096 15940 69.02 18.50 93 35 10 - -

13 Dhemaji 19112 13566 70.93 15.69 40 8 1 - -

14 Tinsukia 10670 7352 68.90 14.00 16 11 1 - -

15 TOTAL 434714 295119 67.90 19.31 1852 574 218 8 16

Source: Socio-Economic Survey Report, 2003-04, Directorate of Char Areas Development, Govt. of Assam.

Table 20: Selected Statistics of Char Areas in Assam, 2003-04 (III)

Sl. No. District Medical Facilities (Nos.)

P.H.C. Dispensary Sub-Centre

1 Kamrup 1 - 8

2 Nalbari 4 - 5

3 Barpeta 5 - 20

4 Goalpara 1 - 14

5 Bongaigaon 5 - 5

6 Dhubri 14 - 23

7 Darrang 2 - 8

8 Morigaon 5 - 6

9 Nagaon 4 - 4

10 Jorhat 8 - 16

11 Sonitpur 1 - 7

12 Lakhimpur 1 - 6

13 Dhemaji 1 - 4

14 Tinsukia - - 6

15 TOTAL 52 - 132

Source: Socio-Economic Survey Report, 2003-04, Directorate of Char Areas Development, Govt. of Assam.

Table 21: Annual Average Rate of River Bank Erosion

Period Rate of Erosion (km2/year)

1972-2001 6.92

2001-2004 2.47

2004-2008 5.48

2008-2010 3.34

Source: Gogoi and Borpujari, 2014.

Table 22: Changing Pattern of Occupation of Workers

Sl.

No. Occupation type

Percentage of workers engaged

1971 1991 2001 2011

1 Cultivators 78.38 80.85 31.65 74.00

3 Household Industrial Workers 04.02 03.14 02.40 03.00

4 Other Workers 17.60 16.01 65.95 23.00

Source: Authors’ calculation based on various Census reports of GOI.

Table 23: A Conservative Model of An Average Daily Economy in the River Bank at

Dhubri

Sl.

No. Nature of Activity

No./

Persons

operating

Volume/

No./

Value

Rate/

Unit

Price

Gross

Revenue

(₹)

Gross

Profit (₹)

1

Daily Commutation of

people (average) through

ferries

150 ferries 10000

persons

₹ 40

(to &

fro)

400000 400000

2 Retail Sale of commodities

by vendors on the river bank 300 shops - - 12000000 1200000

3

Transportation of

commodities meant for

onward transportation to

different places within the

district, outside the state,

other districts and to

Bangladesh.

50 ferries 3000000 - 20000000 2000000

4 Transportation of Bamboo 40 dealers 12000 60 720000 280000

5 Employment of people in

ferry services 600

6 Employment of people in

Bamboo transportation 700

7

Direct Employment of

people in retail shops along

the river bank

600

8

Employment of people

(petty traders) who

commute from surrounding

islands, regions for sale and

purchase of various other

products

700

9

Indirect employment created

in the town and surrounding

villages and regions

5000

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 24: Basic Profile of Surveyed Villages

Village Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh)

All

Villages

Total Households 72 78 63 213

SC Households 0 27 5 32

ST Households 0 0 0 0

OBC Households 0 43 15 58

Total Population 333 332 309 974

Literacy (%) 66.67 96.87 89.71 84.42

Infrastructure Facilities 33.33 41.67 58.33 44.44

Dependency on

Brahmaputra 83.33 100.00 83.33 88.89

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 25: Economic Activity Profile of Surveyed Villages centred on Brahmaputra

Village/

Activity

Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh) All Villages

Cultivation 76.39 50.00 53.97 59

Fishing 13.89 23.08 17.46 18

Boatman & Worker 9.72 15.38 15.87 13

Log Collector 0.00 11.54 0.00 4

Others 0.00 0.00 17.46 6

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 26: Land Owned and Land Lost by Households

Land (In bighas)/ Village Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh)

All

Villages

Land Owned 7.13 11.53 6.83 8.50

Land Lost during the last

five years 1.53 2.07 1.53 1.71

Land possessed before 5

years 8.66 13.60 8.36 10.21

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 27: Source wise Annual Income of Households (₹)

Village/Source Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh)

All

Villages

Cultivation 313000 495500 285000 1093500

Fishing 44000 32000 149000 225000

Business 55000 67000 85000 207000

Animal Rearing 3000 23000 11000 37000

Handloom 0 56000 7000 63000

Wage Labourer 10000 0 88000 98000

Service 0 1260000 300000 1560000

Total 425000 1933500 925000 3283500

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 28: Source wise Percentage of Households Benefitting from River

Village/

Source

Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh)

All

Villages

Alluvial Soil 87 93 87 88

Irrigation 80 90 87 86

Travel by Boat 93 100 80 91

Household Activities 100 100 93 98

All Sources 90 96 87 91

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 29: Source wise Damages of Households (₹)

Village/

Source

Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh)

All

Villages

Land 330000 505000 240000 1075000

Crop 250000 555000 320000 1125000

House 180000 0 130000 310000

Cowshed 40000 0 25000 65000

Boat 60000 0 20000 80000

Toilet 35000 0 15000 50000

Animal 5000 10000 4000 19000

Total 900000 1070000 754000 2724000

Source: Authors’ Survey.

Table 30: Average Standard of Living of A Household and Liability (₹)

Village/

Item

Motishwar

(Dhubri)

Bhattapara

(Guwahati)

MyjanNatunGaon

(Dibrugarh)

All

Villages

Food Expenses 3067 5267 4067 4134

Non-Food Expenses 1667 3533 2467 2556

Total Expenses 4733 8800 6533 6689

Saving 967 4200 1033 2067

Outstanding Loan* 5333 6667 4667 5556

Source: Authors’ Survey; * Outstanding loans pertain to the whole year.