Bank erosion of southern part of brahmaputra river and its socio-economic impact on the populace Baishya Swarup Jyoti Research Scholar, Dept. of Geography, Gauhati University Online published on 6 October, 2012. Abstract Bank erosion is a geomorphic process. It has assumed an alarming proportion due to the braiding nature of the river Brahmaputra. The morphology and behaviour of river Brahmaputra undergo drastic changes in response to various flow regime and pattern of Sediment transportation. The river itself is a braided one with multiple channels as well as sand chars. Due to braided nature oblique channel gets developed between the sand chars which changes their magnitude and orientation after each flood. Their oblique channel are found to be largely responsible for intensive bank erosion. The river Brahmaputra after crossing the Saraighat Bridge flanges out into two main channels-southern channel and northern channel. As the southern channel has become more active after the great earthquake in the year 1950, the major part of the palasbari town had been eroded away. Erosion has been a part and parcel of the flood hazard that gives rise to a miserable situation particularly in western riverine areas extending from Palasbari to Gumi. The villages affected due to erosion is the west of Palasbari are Dakhala, Nahira, Guimara, Phuturi, Chulikata, Roumari, Bejartrai, Singimari, Panikhaiti, Biturtari and Gumi. Few villages on the eastern side are also not spared from the grip of erosion. They are Sadilapur, Majirgaon, Kendukuchi, Dharapur. It would be worth mentioning that erosion has become a chronic feature mainly after the 1950 earthquake. Being a part of the southern bank of the southernmost channel of Brahmaputra, the study area too, suffers from devastating flood. Here flood and erosion are like the inseparable sides of the same coin. Moreover due to bankline recession, large scale displacement of populace is still going on in the area. As a result of flooding and erosion, deposition of coarser sediments have damaged large tracts of productive cropland, human habitats and infrastructural facilities causing enormous loss and misery to the public and huge cost to the exchequer. Top Keywords Bank Erosion, Flood, Socio-economic Impact. Top |