4,260 sq km lost to erosion in Assam: Gogoi

Guwahati, Sep 6 (UNI) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the state had lost 4,260 sq km because of the unabated erosion of river Brahmaputra since 1954.

Rebutting allegations that the state had been discriminated by the Centre in the flood relief, he said, ''Altogether eight lakh fell victim to erosion, which has been a bigger problem than flood.'' The southern bank and northern bank of river Brahmaputra have been witnessing heavy erosion and deforestration respectively, especially in the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh.

''I am not sure whether to go for mitigating flood or checking erosion. I think there should be a broad national consensus on water management as it is an international affair with rain water coming from Nepal, Bhutan and China'' Mr Gogoi informed that he had already roped in the IIT Guwahati to look into the flood management system.

He also removed his Water Resource minister Bharat Chandra Narah.

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