Guwahati, December 13 : Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asserted that building long-term flood resilience has emerged as one of the government’s highest priorities, marking a decisive shift from what he described as decades of “temporary and fragile solutions” to a more durable and scientific approach.
Highlighting the transformation since 2016, Sarma said the era of weak earthen embankments is steadily coming to an end.
Taking a dig at previous Congress governments, Sarma said, “Before 2016, most embankments in Assam were earthen and had already crossed their lifespan. Flood protection was weak, temporary and highly vulnerable to breaches.”
Related Posts:
He also underlined how frequent embankment failures worsened annual floods and erosion across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.
According to Sarma, the government has since adopted a policy-driven shift towards long-life concrete embankments. He said that since 2022 alone, nearly 900 kilometres of new embankments have been constructed, with a target of completing 1,000 kilometres of concrete embankments in the near future. This, he argued, reflects a clear political commitment to replace stop-gap arrangements with permanent infrastructure.
Drawing a contrast with the past, Sarma noted that earlier Assam witnessed between 17 to over 30 embankment breaches every year, severely impacting lives, agriculture and public infrastructure.
“This year, the number of breaches has been reduced sharply to just five,” he claimed, adding that the impact of floods and erosion has been significantly curtailed in several vulnerable districts.
The Chief Minister said flood management was not merely an engineering challenge but a governance issue neglected by previous regimes. He maintained that his government’s approach combines infrastructure creation with accountability, planning and sustained investment.
Sarma’s remarks come at a time when flood control remains a politically sensitive issue in Assam, where seasonal floods have historically shaped public opinion and electoral narratives. By projecting tangible reductions in breaches and long-term infrastructure creation, the BJP-led government is seeking to position itself as one that delivers stability and security against one of the state’s most enduring challenges.
“Assam deserves lasting protection, not temporary repairs,” Sarma said, asserting that the state is now moving towards a safer and more resilient future.
