Assam CM reviews land reclamation projects in two districts

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on 10 November visited Kayantol in Kamrup district and Sonka in Morigaon district to review the government's two-pronged strategy for riverbank erosion and land reclamation. The first approach focuses on strengthening embankments to protect vulnerable areas, while the second involves developing newly formed land for agriculture and tourism, Sarma said on X.

Sarma said Assam loses an estimated 8,000 hectares of land to riverbank erosion every year, even as silt deposition creates new land elsewhere. In Morigaon, the government plans to reclaim 4,000 to 5,000 bighas through three projects, including a 1,000-bigha project set to begin soon and a proposed 1,500-bigha project, according to the CMO. In Kamrup, over 2,000 bighas of land near Hajo's Laheshwari Temple, once submerged, are being considered for reclamation. The chief minister stressed that decisions on reclamation will be taken only after comprehensive scientific studies and that the initiative will require substantial funding.

Update, 10 November 2026: The Shillong Times now also reports the story, quoting Sarma on the need for scientific studies and substantial funding for the reclamation project. It adds that district commissioners across Assam have identified several locations where land has emerged, and that the government is considering a large-scale project.