Fakirganj in South Salmara-Mankachar district of Assam witnessed rising tension on May 1 as residents staged a road blockade at Wahhab Bazar Tinali. Locals, alarmed by the intensifying erosion caused by the Brahmaputra River and its tributary Namachala, took to the streets to demand a permanent solution. They blocked roads and disrupted traffic to draw urgent attention from authorities toward the environmental threat that has been steadily eating away at their land and security.
Protesters expressed deep frustration with what they called years of administrative apathy. They alleged that temporary measures such as sandbags and bamboo reinforcements have repeatedly failed to control the erosion, leaving hundreds of families vulnerable to displacement. Local leaders joined hands with the public and accused the state government of failing to prioritize the crisis despite multiple warnings and petitions.
As the protest gained momentum, the demonstrators called for an immediate visit by government officials and engineers to assess the situation firsthand. They demanded the construction of a permanent embankment and scientifically designed river management solutions to safeguard the region. According to the locals, the erosion has already claimed agricultural fields, houses, and schools in the area over the past several years.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had visited similar erosion-hit areas in the past, has frequently emphasized the need for modern flood and erosion control mechanisms in Assam. However, the protesters in Fakirganj said the ground reality in their area remained unchanged. They said they feel abandoned, especially as the monsoon season approaches.
Several women participated in the protest and shared emotional accounts of losing homes and livelihoods to the river’s unchecked flow. Young residents also joined the demonstration, demanding that the government treat the erosion threat with the same urgency as other state-level infrastructure or political concerns.
Assam’s Water Resources Department has acknowledged in recent reports that Brahmaputra-induced erosion continues to be a major concern across various districts. South Salmara-Mankachar, located along the vulnerable western boundary of the state, has been flagged for critical erosion risk multiple times. Despite this, activists say no long-term erosion control project has taken root in the area.
Security forces deployed near the protest site monitored the situation but avoided confrontation. Officers said they wanted to maintain peace while acknowledging the legitimacy of the residents’ concerns. By the afternoon, the blockade caused significant disruption to transportation and daily life in and around Fakirganj. Schoolchildren and workers were seen returning home as vehicular traffic remained stalled.
Local panchayat members appealed to the protestors to lift the blockade, promising to arrange a meeting with higher officials. However, the protestors refused to end the demonstration without written assurance of permanent protection from river erosion.
Environmentalists from the region have also raised their voices in support of the protest. They highlighted that erosion-related displacement is one of the most underreported crises in Assam. Experts warned that without sustained government intervention, erosion will continue to wipe out entire communities in low-lying riverbank areas.
Political observers noted that the protest could gain statewide attention ahead of upcoming local body elections. Opposition parties are likely to raise the issue in campaign speeches, pointing to the government’s failure to implement erosion-control policies on the ground.
As night fell, the protesters continued their vigil at Wahhab Bazar Tinali. They set up temporary shelters and said they would stay put until the government commits to building a scientifically sound, durable solution. The growing erosion along the Brahmaputra’s banks has become not just an environmental hazard but a deep emotional wound for the people of Fakirganj—one they refuse to let go unheard.
Authorities are expected to visit the area in the coming days. Residents hope the state will move beyond promises and finally deliver concrete action before it’s too late.
