Assam: Dikrong river erosion returns in Lakhimpur as Neepco dam threatens farmlands

North Lakhimpur: Rising water levels on the left bank of the Dikrong river in No. 2 Pokadol village under Bihpuria Revenue Circle in Assam's Lakhimpur district are once again threatening farmlands, decades after a super flood in 2004 displaced thousands of villagers.

Krishna Rajkhowa (42), a farmer who was 20 at the time, said his family had to cross the Dikrong for safety. The 2004 flood engulfed human settlements and croplands in villages, including Madhupur, Bholukaguri, and Dohghoriya under Dhunaguri Gaon Panchayat.

His joint paternal family lost 16 Purah (6.784 hectares) of farmland in just three days, forcing them to relocate to the left bank of the river in Pokadol under Pub-Dikrong Gaon Panchayat.

Over the past two decades, Krishna and other displaced families rebuilt their livelihoods through agriculture. Krishna now maintains an apple and jujube orchard spanning over one bigha, while his elder brother, Prasanta, cultivates oilseeds such as mustard and pulses.

River braiding from Gandhiya to Pokadol, along with sediment deposits, has allowed local farmers to grow crops despite previous displacements.

The situation is now exacerbated by water discharged from North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO)’s 405 MW Panyor Hydro Electric Power (PHEP) project on the Ranganadi river in Arunachal Pradesh.

The dam diverts water through a ten-kilometer tunnel from Doimukh to the Dikrong, with flows reaching up to 160 cubic meters per second. Evening releases to meet peak electricity demand often cause sudden rises in river levels, eroding croplands during the winter season.

This year, farmers Dhunti Das (27) and Bhaskar Rajkhowa (32) lost four out of five bighas of sesame crop along the left bank before harvest due to erosion.

Experts reviewing the Ranganadi Master Plan and NEEPCO documents note that PHEP provides minimal flood control at the start of the monsoon.

Its reservoir, covering 1.6 square kilometers and holding 0.008 cubic kilometers of water, has no dedicated flood storage.

The full reservoir level coincides with its maximum capacity of 567 meters, leaving no buffer to regulate inflows.

Water releases from PHEP have significantly altered the Dikrong’s downstream channel, making it wider, less meandering, and more braided.

These changes have increased erosion, sediment deposition, and the risk of flash floods, sand casting, and farmland destruction, affecting villages such as Madhupur and Pokadol.

Even experienced farmers practicing sustainable agriculture are now vulnerable to sudden water surges.