Maksam Tayeng

PASIGHAT, Jun 27: While marking the present intensity of soil erosion at Sigar, Raling, Motum, Borguli, Seram, Kongkul and Namsing villages as alarming, the committee members of SEEANG (Siang Ecosystem Environment and Nurturing Group), an NGO which looks after the flood affected villages and their concern under Mebo Sub-Division, has decided to approach the government again and other sources for urgent help to minimize further soil erosion.
The team SEEANG led by President, Yemling Tayeng, Secretary General, Group Captain Retired Mohonto Pangging, Advisors Ranpok Perme, Obang Tayeng (Director DIPR, Govt. of AP), Jalas Pertin (Director Panchayati Raj, Govt. of AP) and other executive members visited the flood damage sites where school playground and part of village (Sigar) and several hundred hectares of agricultural fields of Namsing village was washed away by the flood. The Mebo-Dhola Road which is the lifeline of Lower Mebo villages including lower parts of Lower Dibang Valley district is also under threat as the erosion is nearing the road.
While interacting and narrating their concern and worries to the team,the Sigar Village Gaon Burahs and village secretary said that, the massive erosion has taken place due to faulty and improper construction of the flood protection project just near the Sigar village along the upstream.
 “We are very sad, how can we leave our age old village if it is completely washed away? The Tie-Bund flood control project has breached and is damaged,” added the Gaon Burah. 
The Sigar village heads also said that the lifting/removal of boulders from the upstream project sites was a big mistake as those boulders which have been helping in neutralizing flood water toward left bank were collected by contractors/boulder suppliers who wanted to earn maximum money by maximum collection of boulders.
Meawhile, at Seram village too the Gaon Burahs informed the SEEANG committee that, the boulder bund erected for their protection was not diverting the river current, rather it is a suicidal structure as the bund was constructed vertically from the river bank.
While at Namsing village, several hundred hectares of agricultural lands were being washed/eroded away. The villagers said that, even the Namsing village is also under threat and if erosion continues the Mebo Dhola Road and the Namsing village will also be washed away.
While summing up the visit at Namsing, the SEEANG committee said that, a concerted and collective effort is required at this moment instead of blame game and decided to arrange funds for urgent flood control works and construction of Porcupine spars so that massive soil erosion could be minimized. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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