Ramakrishna Mission takes up flood relief work in Majuli :

The Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) has undertaken relief operation in certain flood affected areas of Jorhat and Dibrugarh district of Assam. The Mission authorities have distributed 5,000 tarpaulins among flood affected families of 76 villages in Majuli Island and Gajimukh of Jorhat subdivision, the RKM said in a statement here today. In Tengabari village of Dibrugarh district, 256 affected families have been identified and relief materials have been distributed among them. Among the materials distributed are blankets, mosquito net, lantern and utensils. Volunteers of the Ramakrishna Seva Samity, Tinsukia, helped the RKM monks engaged in this work. 

(News from IBN Live)

-Abakash Majuli

Majuli’s crack at heritage tag :

SMITA BHATTACHARYYA

A sketch by artist Hem Chandra Goswami of the bridges being built in Majuli. Telegraph picture

Jorhat, July 25: The Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority is hoping that it will be fourth time lucky for Majuli as the river island readies to make another attempt to enter Unesco’s World Heritage Site list.

As the deadline for submission of a new report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in this regard draws nearer, the authority is working on all fronts to ensure that Majuli does not miss out this time. Upper Assam commissioner Syed Iftikar Hussain — who is also the chief executive officer of the authority — said GSV Suryanarayan Murthy — the conservation architect deputed by the ASI to prepare and update the heritage dossier of Majuli — has been asked to extensively interact with experts on Majuli’s culture and history before submitting the dossier on September 30.

“This time we would like to see the heritage and culture of Majuli properly presented, and Suryanarayan Murthy has been asked to incorporate everything, which represents the ethos of the freshwater island after talking to the people and discussing with experts,” Hussain said.

“After going through the dossier there are still many things which have not been put in and this gives the impression that (the dossier) does not reflect the immense composite culture that makes Majuli unique in itself,” he added.

According to Hussain, the island is strewn with treasures. Lying buried among the treasures at Dakhinpat Xatra — one of the oldest xatras in Majuli — is a wooden contraption, which tells time. It consists of a wooden bowl filled with water, which seeps down in drops. A class of people selected by the king would tell the time using this device. This water in the bowl would last for two months.

“Similarly, there is an earthen lamp that is said to be burning in the sanctum sanctorum of the Garmur Xatra for more than 300 years now and there is an array of kharams (wooden slippers) made of marble or wood worn by the xatradhikars and heads of the monasteries. All this and more reflects the culture and heritage of the island and should be brought to light,” Hussain said. Hem Chandra Goswami — the renowned mask maker of Samaguri Xatra — has proposed to adorn the pillars of all the under-construction bridges on the island with figures from Hindu mythology. This proposal will also be forwarded to the government. Goswami has been asked to compile or make miniatures of all the artefacts and elements that reflect the essence of Majuli. Before the dossier is submitted a meeting will be held with experts on the culture and heritage of Majuli and the people of the island so that nothing is missed out, Hussain said.

Murthy, the man who is preparing the dossier, represents the Hyderabad-based consultancy firm M/S Kshetra, which provides consultancy services in matters of preserving heritage sites/buildings and architectural planning. He had made a case for Majuli in June this year at Unesco’s 36th session in Russia, but the largest river island of Asia was denied the World Heritage Site tag for the third time.

(News from The Telegraph , Thursday , July 26 , 2012 )

-Abakash Majuli

Article on indigenous pottery culture of SALMORA -the heritage of Majuli :

by Dr. Pitambar DevGoswami (Sattradhikar, Auniati Sattra, Majuli).

Amar Asom 14-07-2012.

 -Abakash Majuli

Dying art of mask-making to get a new lease of life :

“The craft of mask making is on the verge of dying today. Specially the youth today have lost touch with this tradition. In order to create awareness among the young people and teach them about the dying craft, we are organising this workshop,” said Samiran Goswami, director of Saanshi.
Hem Chandra Goswami, who hails from Samuguri Satra of Majuli is the trainer of the workshop. “There is no entry fee in our workshop because this is an initiative to restore the old craft of the state,” said Hem Chandra Goswamai, the trainer. “I am happy to be a trainer here as the youngsters are also very interested to earn this art from me,” added Goswamai.

 (News from Seven Sisters Post ) 

- Abakash Majuli

Sattradhikar dead :

The 'sattradhikar' (head priest) of Majuli's Ahotoguri Borsattra, Bhoben Narayan Dev Goswami died in the Vaishnav monastery today. He was 86, monastery sources said. He was head of one of the oldest sattras in Majuli, which is the world's largest river island and seat of Vaishnav culture. The monastery was established in the 15th century by Madhavdeva, a disciple of Sankardeva who was the founder of Vaishnavism in Assam. The sattraadhikar was later cremated within the sattra premises, sources added.

(News from IBN live )

-Abakash Majuli

64 families rendered homeless in Majuli :

Unabated erosion in Majuli, the world's largest river island, has washed away the land and properties of 64 families rendering them homeless. During the last one week heavy erosion at Bonoria Chapori area, located in the northern side of the island, hit the families who have been shifted. Assam Water Resources minister Rajib Lochan Pegu, who represents Majuli in the state assembly, has assured the affected families that they would be provided with land soon. Bonoria Chapori area has been plagued by flood and erosion for over 35 years and the problem aggravated since 2000. Locals alleged that no anti-erosion measures have been taken by the concerned departments. Earlier, 75 families of Halmora village in the island were rendered homeless after the village disappeared due to heavy erosion. They were rehabilitated in 10 other villages of Majuli.

(News from IBN Live)

- Abakash Majuli

Majuli may be wiped out

The Times of India
Guwahati

Majuli may be wiped out
TNN | Jul 20, 2012, 06.48AM IST

GUWAHATI: As the state government awaits the Centre to declare the flood and erosion a national problem, the worst fear for Majuli island, which is shrinking in area due to erosion, seem to be coming true. The river island may be completely wiped out of the map in the future. Government records show that 1.7 lakh bigha land of Majuli have been eroded till 2012. In 1990, the island encompassed an area of over seven lakh bigha. The island's present area is 5,31,733 lakh bigha.

The records show that a total of 67 villages of the island no longer exist today as they have been wiped out by erosion. The people, who are rendered homeless and landless, live on embankments. At present, 2,709 families are living on the embankments that dot the island. There are 1,000 children and 7,158 women among these embankment dwellers.

In the first wave of flood that hit the state from April to June this year, 83 families in Majuli were rendered homeless by erosion. The area of land lost is yet to be ascertained.

Erosion, which is now seen as more devastating than floods, has eaten up over 86,000 bigha of land in Morigaon district since 1990, which is the worst erosion-affected district followed by Dhubri, which has lost 80,505 bigha of land since 1990. In the current year, Morigaon district has already lost 1,758 bigha of land to erosion, which has made a population of 3,010 homeless.

The state government on Wednesday adopted a resolution in the house seeking a financial package from the Centre to develop the state in all spheres and urged the Centre to declare flood and erosion as national problems.

Flood of relief materials in Majuli :

- NGOs in queue as administration tackles ‘heartening’ response

Jorhat, July 19: Managing the flood was hard, but controlling the overwhelming response in terms of relief is not proving to be a cakewalk either for the Jorhat district administration. As the floods hit Majuli island twice within a span of less than 20 days — on June 25 and July 15 — the Majuli sub-divisional and Jorhat district administrations tackled the problem by setting up relief camps, providing relief to the victims and taking measures to prevent the spread of water-borne disease. But now the administration is confronted with the task of managing the rush of relief material for the flood-hit victims. Relief materials, worth nearly Rs 1 crore, have already been distributed. The administration has now asked a few organisations, which have come forward to help people affected by the second wave of floods, to wait for a few days. More than one lakh people have been hit by the two waves of floods but the intensity of the second wave has been less than the first one with only about 10 villages under Luitporia gaon panchayat being affected. No relief camp has been set up this time, as houses were not submerged. Jorhat deputy commissioner R.C. Jain told The Telegraph here today that the response from various groups, including international organisations, for the flood-affected people of Majuli was “very heartening”. He said over 20 organisations had contributed in a big way. Many local groups had also contributed on a lower scale, he added. “Altogether Rs 1 crore worth of relief materials given by NGOs has already been distributed to the flood-hit people of Majuli and many are still coming forward. We are requesting them to wait a few days to let those organisations who are distributing relief material at present to complete their work,” Jain said. He said as news of parts of Majuli getting submerged was splashed in the media, his office got offers of assistance from various organisations and agencies. The administration had to make plans to allot and guide the organisations in distributing relief materials in the affected areas. Some of the top donors are Ramkrishna Mission, Belur Math, which distributed relief materials worth about Rs 25 lakh, the International Red Cross Society, which gave shelter kits worth about Rs 20 lakh, the Rotary Club of Jorhat, which distributed kits (each kit having 52 items) worth Rs 15 lakh, ONGC, which handed over materials worth Rs 4 lakh, the Upper Assam Chamber of Commerce, which distributed materials worth Rs 3 lakh, Supreme Master (Ching Hai), which distributed materials worth Rs 3 lakh, and the Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council, which gave materials worth Rs 3 lakh. Majuli sub-divisional officer (civil) S.R. Khanikar said at least six organisations have been requested to wait for a few days so that there was no overlapping in the distribution of the relief materials. (News from : The Telegraph  Friday , July 20 , 2012 online news)    -Abakash Majuli

Ajir Dainik Batori 19-07-2012. :

-Abakash Majuli

-Abakash Majuli

International Conference on Majuli :

Article: International Conference on Majuli
Author: Ashim Dutta

The international conference on Majuli organized by Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva started with the inauguration of a photo exhibition by Narayan Chandra Goswami, Sattradhikar of Natun Kamalabari Sattra, Majuli. The guests went around the exhibition, which exhibited photos of Majuli taken by Bijit Dutta, GSV Suryanarayana Murthy, Nafisa Hussain, Mitu Khataniar, Subrat Dutta, Youngja Kim, Bhabananda Barbayan, Dharitri Boro, Somiron Goswami, Swapan Das and Rimjhim Mahanta. Next, Chayanika Goswami from Dibrugarh rendered a Bargeet. Thereafter Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti, President of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva took the chair. Other dignitaries also were seated and felicitated. It was followed by welcome speech by Pradip Hazarika, co-ordinator of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva. He also gave an account of the past activities of Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva in his address. He introduced the collaborators of this event – Assamese Society of America Foundation, Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters, Core Professional Group – Brahmaputra and Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority.

    The background note on Majuli and the endeavour to get it listed it as a World Heritage Site was presented by GSV Suryanarayana Murthy. He described the geo-cultural features of Majuli and explained the salient points of the dossier prepared by him. He revealed the discriminatory attitude by the Govt. of India, which had listed Majuli in the third position in submission of three sites to UNESCO for inscription as World Heritage Site. He appreciated the role played by Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva and Friends of Majuli in this process. He suggested a proactive role by MCLMA and for that matter Govt. of Assam.

    Eminent Gandhian Natwar Thakkar from Nagaland Gandhi Ashram released the news-letter MITRO, published by Friends of Assam and Seven Sisters (FASS). He was assisted by Nabajit Roy of FASS. Releasing the special issue of the news-letter on Majuli, Thakkar said that it was every one’s duty to keep alive the contributions of Srimanta Sankaradeva, who was one of the leading religious preachers in India. He reminisced his journey to Majuli and lauded the present effort to create awareness about this culturally rich river island.

    Narayan Chandra Goswami spoke briefly about the significance of Majuli. He said that it was the centre of Assamese culture and Vaishnavite movement launched by Srimanta Sankaradeva. He expressed concern over irresponsible news items by electronic as well as print media over the extent of flood damage, since it might affect the prospect of Majuli’s inscription as WHS. He said that flood was normal for Majuli and people there co-habitated with flood.

    Jayanta Barman, Vice President of FASS made a presentation about FASS. He also dwelt upon the future plans of the organization in Majuli. Prof. Chandan Mahanta of I.I.T., Guwahati spoke briefly about Core Professional Group-Brahmaputra and its activities. He highlighted the need for serious academic discussion as well as setting up of a research centre to solve the problems of Brahmaputra River and valley.

    Prof. Arvind Phukan, the Chief Resource Person of the conference made an elaborate presentation about the nature and changes in the Brahmaputra river over time. He highlighted the braided nature of the river and talked about the need to channelise the river. He showed the dimension of erosion in Majuli and other parts of the river. He said that erosion could be checked if one proceeded with proper mathematical model, if concrete lining was done, if the embankments were designed scientifically and repaired regularly. He said that rats dug up the embankments making them weak from inside. He said that embankment should be made with soil dug from river-bed. Such soil could be deposited in the Majuli island too, thereby helping in land reclamation. He lamented the non-cooperation of bureaucrats in anti-erosion planning. He showed video footage of erosion. 

    Sayed Iftikar Hussain, CEO of Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority gave a presentation on the perspective of Govt. of Assam on Majuli. He said that the Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Act passed by the Legislatures in Assam was unique in the world and hoped that it would help  in getting Majuli inscribed as WHS. He said that six international firms had been shortlisted for preparing the Comprehensive Development Plan for Majuli, but  the initiative of Govt. of Assam was not adequately supplemented by Govt. of India, who went about the entire nomination process in a disinterested manner. He also revealed that Archaeological Survey of India did not invite any official or expert from Assam to offer suggestions while preparing the present dossier on Majuli. He hinted at forces working against the interest of Majuli in the entire process. He showed power point presentation depicting the details about Majuli. He said that while some chaporis had been lost in erosion, new chaporis had been created amidst Brahmaputra. Bhakat chapori was one such sand bar, he said.

    Prof. Dilip Medhi, head of Anthropology Deptt., Gauhati University spoke about the massive cultural wealth of Majuli. He said that what was the most important thing for Majuli was its preservation and protection. He stressed on creating greater awareness about these issues in different fora. He said that a long-term vision was necessary for Majuli. The role of Brahmaputra Board was crucial for the island, he said. He also opined that the dams being constructed in upstream would affect Majuli badly.

    A paper sent by Gili Navon, research scholar of Hibru University, Jerusalem was taken as read since she was not physically present. The paper suggested setting up a cultural centre in Majuli.

    Prasujya Gogoi, research scholar of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi presented a paper on ‘Eco restoration of Majuli island’. She described the wide variety of flora and fauna available in Majuli. She said that increase in human population in the island had created problem for nature. She suggested zonation of critical areas of the island. Tourism also should be planned properly so that it does not hurt the ecology. Guides should be qualified. Resorts should be made with locally available materials like bamboo, thatch etc. A traffic management also was necessary.

    Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma, President of Majuli Island Protection and Development Council (MIPADC) gave an account of their initiative for inscription of Majuli as WHS. He suggested GVS Suryanarayam Murthy to involve more people, especially those having exposure to the life in Majuli, in the revision of the dossier.

    Bharat Saikia, retired Engineer and Secretary of MIPADC, who had prepared the first dossier on Majuli, spoke about the faulty embankments on Brahmaputra. He said that the embankments had led to rise in the river-bed and braided nature of the river. He suggested installation of good quality hard plastic pipes of one foot diameter in the embankment, at intervals of say one Km. in order to inject flood water inside the island and release of the same later to the river. This would prevent breaches in the embankment, bring in fertile sediments and wash away stale water inside.

    An interaction session took place with Prof. Arvind Phukan in afternoon. M.N. Dutta Bordoloi, former G.M. of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Ltd. and Putul Mahanta, General Secretary of Asom Sattra Mahasabha, Majuli branch took part in the interaction. Mahanta submitted that Prof. Phukan’s data about erosion was old and new found data had proved that erosion had been checked in Majuli, leading to increase in land mass marginally.

    In his presidential comment, Dr. Sanjib Kr. Borkakoti said that the Society for Srimanta Sankaradeva would remain associated with the Comprehensive Development Plan of Majuli initiated by MCLMA. He lamented the lack of interest by Indian representative in UNESCO on Majuli’s nomination for WHS. He also pointed out that the dossier needs greater emphasis on Sattriya Culture. He stressed the need of more academic analysis of Majuli’s problems. He thanked Dr. Sanjib Bhuyan of ASAF for mooting the idea of such a conference in the first place.

    Several dignitaries like Ripu Mahanta, Vice President of Asom Sattra Mahasabha, A.K. Mitra, Chairman of Technical Advisory Committee, Water Resource Department, Anjana Chaliha, Retired Principal of J.B. College, Manoj Kr. Das, DGM of NEDFI, Sankar Das, prominent social activist, Satyajit Mahanta, Deka Sattradhikar of Natun Kamalabari Sattra were present in the conference. Representatives of several NGOs and Sattras attended the conference. President Dr. Sanjib Kumar Borkakoti thanked all of them as well as the members of Facebook groups ‘Followers of Srimanta Sankaradeva’ and ‘Friends of Majuli’ for their support.

    Neilh M. Gautam, General Secretary of the Society offered vote of thanks to all participants and collaborators. With that, the conference came to an end.

(News from: Assam Times 17 July, 2012 Online News) 

-Abakash Majuli

Official push to Majuli landscape authority :

Jorhat, July 16: Upper Assam commissioner S.I. Hussain, who is also the chief executive officer of the Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority, will submit a proposal to the government to make the body functional and implement the comprehensive development plan for Majuli.

Six international firms have been shortlisted to execute the development project.

Hussain said though the organisation had been constituted in 2007 under the Majuli Cultural Landscape Region Act, 2006, it was yet to function independently, and it was imperative to strengthen the authority for the development work to progress in Majuli.

The act was passed to protect Majuli from floods and erosion and develop and preserve the unique identity of the river island so that it would be considered for the coveted status of a World Heritage Site from Unesco.

“Unless the authority is empowered to undertake the work with separate offices and staff, the implementation of the comprehensive development plan will not progress,” Hussain said.

In this context, the commissioner said experienced hands could be drawn from other departments and experts on Majuli could be appointed, as fresh hands would be recruited on contract. “Majuli is still on the reckoning for Unesco’s World Heritage Site tag and there should be a proper authority as an interface for the island, which embodies Assam’s culture.”

The National Informatics Centre had been entrusted with the task of preparing a website to showcase the heritage, culture and biodiversity of Majuli, one of the largest river islands of the world.

Hussain said the process was on to finalise the appointment of six international consultant firms, which had technical and financial competency to implement the comprehensive development plan, the work for which would most likely start from October.

“The first full-fledged work of the authority was to formulate the plan, which will include boundary delineation of the cultural region of Majuli, comprising the subdivision areas and some outer regions like parts of Dhemaji, Neematighat, Patiagaon upto National Highway 37 and a few other areas. Other plans include water transport, infrastructure development, road connectivity, maintenance of biodiversity and promoting of eco-friendly production activities like tourism,” he said.

Hussain said the first priority would be the submission of a proposal to the government to manage water transport along with the inland water transport department.

Crossing over to Majuli by ferries is still an arduous journey and the proposal comprises the development of ghats and to make the ferry services in Majuli visitor-friendly by fitting those with modern amenities. “We can run ferries daily along with the inland water transport department and increase the frequency of services and spruce up the ghats so that they are more welcoming,” he said.

Hussain had also asked Hem Chandra Goswami, the famous mask-maker of Majuli Samaguri Xatra, to compile a miniature form of all those artefacts and elements, which represented the uniqueness of the island as a heritage site.

These would be displayed in an auditorium, to enable a visitor to sample them at a glance and subsequently see the real item.

(News from : The Telegraph Tuesday , July 17 , 2012 online news) 

- Abakash Majuli

Dyke breach prompts alert in Majuli :

Jorhat, July 16: The Majuli administration is on an alert after the Brahmaputra breached a portion of the embankment at Sonowal Kachari near the eastern tip of the island, flooding over 10 villages.

Just last month, a breach in the same embankment wreaked havoc on the island and flooded 30 villages with the Salmora area being badly hit.

Sources in the sub-divisional administration said the water level of the Brahmaputra kept rising all through yesterday, and eventually water gushed in through the 200-metre-long breach.

Preliminary work by the water resources department to repair the embankment began last week. The plan was to build a cofferdam near the breach but work had to be called off after the sudden rise in water level, sources said.

Majuli Sub-divisional officer (civil) Sonaram Khanikar told The Telegraph that about 10 villages under Luitporia gaon panchayat were partially submerged. Water entered the compounds of the houses in the villages, roughly affecting around 10,000 people, Khanikar said. In a few houses water had entered the houses.

The SDO said so far the situation had not turned grim and people were not forced to leave their houses. If the situation demanded, relief materials would be provided to the families, he said.

Khanikar said the administration had sufficient food and medicine stocks in Majuli and contingency plans were ready to deal with a big flood. Adequate number of vehicles, boats, medical staff and manpower were ready to act in case of a flood, he said.

Khanikar said according to the latest reports received today from Dibrugarh, which lies east of the island, the water-level of the Brahmaputra in the upper Assam district was receding and if the same trend continued, then by tomorrow morning the water would move out of the island.

Ramakrishna Mission (Belur Math) has decided to offer a helping hand to Majuli’s flood-hit people. Talking to reporters at Ramakrishna Mission’s branch here today, Swami Gitatmananda, the secretary of the Narutamnagar branch (Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh) of the mission, said the organisation would distribute 5,000 tarpaulin sheets worth Rs 25 lakh to flood-hit families on the island from tomorrow.

He said last week, members of the mission conducted a survey in flood-hit areas of Majuli and distributed coupons to genuine flood-affected families so that they could collect relief materials from volunteers during the time of distribution.

The organisation had distributed about 200 kits containing blankets, mosquito nets, and biscuits to flood-affected families at Tengapani area in Tinsukia district last month.

 

(News from : The Telegraph Tuesday , July 17 , 2012 online news) 

-Abakash Majuli

SAVE MAJULI :

Every times flood comes and we shout for some days and forget ...
Will it be the way to save Majuli ???
I think not...
This time we will have fight for long,
until and unless we can save Majuli...
 You all also be ready .....
SAVE MAJULI 

- Abakash Majuli

A GOOD NEWS :

Governor J B Patnaik on Friday made an aerial visit in flood-hit Majuli to assess the damage caused by the floods and assured the flood victims of help to solve their flood problems.

Addressing mediapersons at Garmur circuit house in Majuli, Patnaik also expressed his willingness to ensure protection of Majuli's unique heritage and culture. He said he would also extend his support in getting Unesco's World Heritage Site tag for the island.

The governor asked the district administration to take proper steps for the rehabilitation of about 500 homeless families of Salmora area.

The governor also held a meeting with officials of the district administration, water resource department and Brahmaputra Board, directing them to complete their flood protection and anti-erosion projects by March 2014.

The governor, who was accompanied by water resource minister and Majuli MLA Rajiv Lochan Pegu, also visited a road breached at Mohorichuk area and directed the authorities concerned to repair the road due to the urgent need of communication.

Over one lakh population of 81 villages in the hub of the vaishnavite culture was affected by the recent wave of flood. The flood submerged six satras and another four satras are under the threat of erosion. The governor also distributed relief materials to the affected people.

In reply to the question put forward by the people of Sonowal Kachari regarding sand deposition in their homes and fields, the governor directed the water resources department to take immediate steps to remove the sand and make the land ready to be ploughed and the their houses habitable.

 - Abakash Majuli

Governor warns Brahmaputra Board :

Staff reporter
 GUWAHATI, July 14 – Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik on Friday made an aerial inspection of the flood-affected areas of Nagaon, Jorhat and Kaziranga National Park, and issued a warning to the Brahmaputra Board that it would be held responsible for “any flood in the southern part of Majuli” in the future.

Patnaik first met the flood-affected people to understand their problems and grievances and upon obtaining a firsthand knowledge of their plight, he assured the affected people from Salmora that they could be rehabilitated segment by segment in various vacant lands of the river island to be allotted by the administration.

In reply to a query from the devastated folks of Sonowal Kachari regarding the sand deposition in their homes and fields, the Governor directed the Water Resources Department to take immediate steps to arrange for removing the sand and make the land plough-able and habitable. After the discussion, the Governor distributed relief materials to the affected people.

The Governor later held a discussion with the district administration where a power point presentation on the flood scenario was made by the Deputy Commissioner, Jorhat. The Governor obtained the commitment from both the chairman of the Brahmaputra Board and the Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Water Resources Dept that they would be able to complete the works entrusted to them on time on the south and north banks of Majuli respectively.

Patnaik told the Chairman of the Brahmaputra Board, for which a deadline had already been fixed for March 2014, that after 2014, if there is any flood in the southern part of Majuli, the Board would be held responsible.”

Regarding the northern bank, he directed the Principal Secretary, Water Resources, to give their assurance to the local MLA and Minister, Rajiv Lochan Pegu that they would live up to their commitment. 

(News from The Assam Tribune Sunday, July 15, 2012)

  

-Abakash Majuli

Good News :

                                         Yesterday 14/07/2012, ABAKASH MAJULI shared there fillings with the social welfare minister of Assam, a son of Majuli Mr Akon Borah... We are very happy with his kind response... We meat a another great son of Majuli Mr Sujit Saikia and many more...   All of them are ready to help us... It is our great pleasure...

-Abakash Majuli

Great News for today :

Today, His Exillency Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik visited flood and erosion affected area of Majuli. He was accompanied by Hon'ble W. R. Minister R. L. Pegu, Upper Assam Commissioner and CEO (MCLMA) S. I. Hussain, Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat Mr. Ramesh Jain.

  - Abakash Majuli

Callous babus rob Assam's Majuli island of Unesco tag :

Kumari Selja's callous culture ministry has put a spanner in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's dream of getting Majuli, an island on the Brahmaputra, the coveted Unesco world heritage site status.

For the third time, Unesco rejected the appeal to include the world's largest freshwater island near Assam's Jorhat town on its coveted list. And this happened because the culture ministry submitted "incomplete documents" to the UN organisation. The ministry's highpowered heritage advisory committee had promoted Majuli for the Unesco nominations following requests from the PMO. PM Singh has been reportedly pushing hard for the unique island as he represents the state in the Rajya Sabha.

But the advisory panel repeated the same mistakes of "incomplete documentation" that Majuli had suffered during its two earlier attempts in 2008 and in 2010. It was rejected again on "technical grounds", a letter received on March 12 stated. The Unesco's world heritage committee said the submitted documents didn't carry a list of the Vaishnavite monasteries called "sattras", some built during the time of Assam's 16th-century saint philosopher Shankardev, which were singular and needed to be protected.

Amazingly, when Unesco dismissed the proposal in 2008, it recommended that a complete list of the 31 surviving sattras be attached. Similarly, the proposal got rejected in 2010 for "missing out on clearly defining the universal value of the site".

The goof-up was appalling because a consultant was hired this time and paid a hefty fee to do the paperwork.

The advisory panel, chaired by former Union tourism secretary Sujit Banerjee, has conservation architect Shikha Jain as its member secretary. Moreover, among the 10 other members, it has Amitabh Kant of the Incredible India fame and former Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) director general C. Babu Rajeev. Ministry sources said most of the committee members were not even aware of the rejection.

A senior ASI official said: "It was double embarrassment for India as we are in the Unesco world heritage committee to scrutinise nominations from other countries."

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/unesco-rejects-appeal-to-include-majuli-island-on-its-list/1/178575.html

- Abakash Majuli

A lot of thanks to the human rights depttt from all majulians :

RAJNITIA MAJULIR JONOTAK ARU KIMAN HUHIBO....???

Dispur takes stock of Majuli damage:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120713/jsp/northeast/story_15721273.jsp

"We are Thankful to all those groups who are coming forward to help us....

It is our great pleasure that ASSAM SAHITYA SABHA, ALL ASSAM LEKHIKA SAMAROH, ADDA GROUP GUWAHATI etc, etc are ready to help us... We want more..."

- Abakash Majuli

World Heritage Nominee- Majuli........

http://wp.me/p2dnDF-4

Rise in homeless living on Majuli dykes:

The recent wave of floods in Majuli rendered over 6,000 people homeless, forcing them to live on embankments... 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Rise-in-homeless-living-on-Majuli-dykes/articleshow/14839768.cms                                                                                          

Everybody loves a good flood - Hindustan Times

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/ColumnsOthers/Everybody-loves-a-good-flood/Article1-885952.aspx

Efforts on to include Majuli island in UNESCO world heritage list 
 http://shar.es/tt72g

 

"Abakash Majuli" is a group which aims for the development of the second world largest river island and the largest river island in Asia i,e. "THE MAJULI". Majuli is a place of cultural diversity. We need to make our Majuli as a cultural centre. We will try to solve the problems facing by the people of Majuli due to natural calamity like flood. People are not getting proper facilities in hospitals. whenever a person suffers from any major disease then they use to come to Jorhat or to Guwahati or to somewhere else because those disease are not curable in Majuli. There is not a single blood bank in Majuli. If there is blood bank than there is no blood. Here question arises, why people of Majuli are facing these type of problems?? Whether these people don't have the right to live or these people are born only to face these type of problems??? So, we need help from the people of assam, from the government of assam, from the government of india to help these victims, to solve the problems facing by the people of the largest river island in ASIA i,e. "THE INCREADIBLE MAJULI".....

HELP US TO SAVE MAJULI....

If anyone is interested to help us then you may contact the undersigned....
1) Amlan deep Bora.
President, Abakash Majuli
contact no.: 9864742821

2)Jadab chandra Bora.
Secretary, Abakash Majuli
contact no.: 9435646676 

-Abakash  Majuli