Living with Wetlands: A Case Study from the Wetlands ( Beels ) of Barpeta District, Assam - Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation - page 316

Table 19.1 Major fl ood-affected villages along with the tributaries of Manas and Beki rivers
Names of the rivers Affected villages

Tihu Eratari, Era gaon, Nawlarvitha, Era kasari para, Bamundi

Kaldia Golibandha, Chagalsari, Debra, Kaimari, Bagana

Pahumara Niz Barala, Chagalsari, Amda gaon, Amda Pathar, Chapar Bari, Bhera gaon

Palla Kaljhar, Barbala, Kathalortari, Kujarpith

Chaulkhola Sundardia, Major gaon, Bamuna, Patbausi

Buradia Eratari, Rampur, Maripur

Table 19.2 Details of
population affected (during
1980 and 2008)

Item Number

Number of families affected 287

Total population affected 1,705

Male population 88

Female population 820

Children population (0-14) 721

Elderly person population (Above 60 years) 50

Table 19.3 Damages caused by fl ood in the study area (during 2003 and 2009)
Sl. No. Damages 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

1. Area affected (ha) 24.3 34 26 31 27 30 20

2. Cropped area affected (ha) 12.2 21 14 20 15 20 10

3. No. of Village affected 35 40 37 39 38 38 30

4. Population affected 45,000 55,000 49,000 51,000 49,500 50,000 32,000

5. No. of cattle lost 18 26 20 26 26 6 -

6. No. of house damaged 510 640 550 620 550 580 440

7. Value of crops (Lakh) 3.5 5 3.3 4 2.3 4 2.5

The low-lying villages have become fre-
quently victimized due to the danger of fl oods
caused by the inundation of tributaries of Manas
and Beki rivers (Table 19.1 ). Damaging houses,
roads and silting in agriculture fi elds and beels
are the common impact of fl ood which causes the
degradation to the entire environment.
The main impacts of fl ood in the study area
could be attributed to physical damage, cropped
area affects, heavy siltation and reduction of water
reservoir capacity, public and private property loss,
effects of residential, commercial and industrial
areas, human and livestock population loss, health
damage, degradation to environment and socio-
economic distresses (Tables 19.2 , 19.3 , and 19.4 ).
It is observed that the economic consequence
is very large in terms of damage to property and
loss of agricultural crops. Children and women
are the worst sufferer of the fl ood, and displace-

have worse impact on their education, health and
livelihood. Due to siltation, several hectares of
crop land have been converted into barren sandy
land. Siltation in the low-lying water reservoirs
affects the aquatic ecosystem in enormous ways.
Even some wetlands have been converted into
shallow crop fi elds due to heavy siltation. During
the devastating fl ood in 2004, there were huge
losses of properties. There were completely
destroyed thatch houses which were the
prominent house type in the area. Public proper-
ties like library, school buildings, hospital build-
ing, Anganbadi centre, temple and mosque were
found lying damaged in Chagalsari and Barsimla
villages. The fl ood water is the cause of the envi-
ronment damage as it pollutes air, water and soil.
The area is predominantly agro based, and rice,
pulses, mustard and potato are extensively
practiced. Advent of fl ood completely breaks the