‘Desertification’ of support for Congress in Assam

Guwahati | March 28 : Fertility began deserting large swathes of flood-prone land in northeastern Assam more than a decade ago. Large dams in adjoining Arunachal Pradesh, feared to add to the problem, are now threatening a ‘desertification’ of support for the ruling Congress.
The Congress holds nine of the 18 seats across the three northeastern districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur. But some 1.5 lakh farmers who lost their fertile fields to flood-induced sand and a growing number of anti-dam groups are likely to impact the party’s chances this time.
The general perception is that the Tarun Gogoi government is soft toward its Congress-ruled Arunachal Pradesh counterpart pursuing 168 hydro projects to generate 45,000 MW of electricity. Assam, particularly the northeastern part already suffering from desertification, is feared to bear the downstream impact of these dams.
“Much of the fertile paddy fields of these districts are covered with sand, rendering them uncultivable. Think of where these mega dams in Arunachal leave us. How can the Assam government endorse these dams to endanger our lives and livelihoods?” asked Johan Doley, president of an anti-dam tribal organization.
Sadly for the affected, the non-Congress parties too aren’t vocal against the dams and the desertification of fertile lands. “What these parties talk about is building new embankments or strengthening the existing ones to help check floods,” said Luit Goswami of NGO River Basin Friends.
Embankments along a network of some 120 rivers in Assam have been a perennial source of cuts for administrative and political heads. Matmora, a fragile dyke in Dhemaji district is often cited as the epitome of corruption. The latest scam involved a Malaysian firm.
The only candidate voicing his concerns against dams and desertification is Bhuban Pegu, seeking reelection from the Jonai constituency as an Independent. “The future of this vulnerable part is at stake because of the dams and sandy swathes. We cannot just ignore this issue,” he said.
Whether or not the fear of the farmers in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur districts leads to a change in attitude would be decided April 4, the day of polling in the first phase.