Brahmaputra and the Socio-Economic Life of People of Assam Authors Dr. Purusottam Nayak Professor of Economics North-Eastern Hill University Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN – 793 022 Email: [email protected] Phone: +91-9436111308 & Dr. Bhagirathi Panda Professor of Economics North-Eastern Hill University Shillong, Meghalaya, PIN – 793 022 Email: [email protected] Phone: +91-9436117613 CONTENTS 1. Introduction and the Need for the Study 1.1 Objectives of the Study 1.2 Methodology and Data Sources 2. Assam and Its Economy 2.1 Socio-Demographic Features 2.2 Economic Features 3. The River Brahmaputra 4. Literature Review 5. Findings Based on Secondary Data 5.1 Positive Impact on Livelihood 5.2 Positive Impact on Infrastructure 5.2.1 Water Transport 5.2.2 Power 5.3 Tourism 5.4 Fishery 5.5 Negative Impact on Livelihood and Infrastructure 5.6 The Economy of Char Areas 5.6.1 Demographic Profile of Char Areas 5.6.2 Vicious Circle of Poverty in Char Areas 6. Micro Situation through Case Studies of Regions and Individuals 6.1 Majuli 6.1.1 A Case Study of Majuli River Island 6.1.2 Individual Case Studies in Majuli 6.1.3 Lessons from the Cases from Majuli 6.1.4 Economics of Ferry Business in Majuli Ghats 6.2 Dhubri 6.2.1 A Case Study of Dhubri 6.2.2 Individual Case Studies in Dhubri 6.2.3 Lessons from the Cases in Dhubri 6.3 Guwahati 6.3.1 A Case of Rani Chapari Island 6.3.2 Individual Case Study in Bhattapara 7. Baseline Survey 7.1 Brahmaputra and the Impact on Community 7.2 Brahmaputra and its Impact on Households 7.3 Important Findings 7.3.1 Findings from Secondary Sources 7.3.2 Findings from Case Studies and Primary Survey 8. Concluding Remarks 9. Specific Suggestions References TABLES LIST OF TABLES 1. Socio-Demographic Profile of Assam, 2011 and 2001 2. Trend and Sectoral Contribution of GSDP of Assam at Constant (2004-05) Prices 3. Changing Pattern of Land Use for Adaptation of Flood in Assam 4. Brahmaputra, its Tributaries and Use of their Surface Water 5. Use of Brahmaputra and its Tributaries by Major Industries 6. Ports and Ferry Ghats in Different Districts in Assam 7. No. of Fleets and Workers in Inland Water Transport in Assam 8. Cargo and Transportation of Passengers and Cars in Assam 9. Small Hydro Schemes in Northeast Region 10. Major Tourism Hot Spots along the Bank of River Brahmaputra 11. Number of Tourists to Assam and Revenue Earned 12. Fishery Resources in Assam, 2014-15 13. No. of Beels and Water Area under Beels in Assam 14. Trend of Fish Seed and Fish Production in Assam 15. Fish and Fish Seed (Fry) Production during the Year 2014-15 16. Annual Average Flood Damages in the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam 17. Selected Statistics of the Char Areas in Assam, 2003-04 (I) 18. Selected Statistics of the Char Areas in Assam, 1992-93 19. Selected Statistics of Char Areas in Assam, 2003-04 (II) 20. Selected Statistics of Char Areas in Assam, 2003-04 (III) 21. Annual Average Rate of River Bank Erosion 22. Changing Pattern of Occupation of Workers 23. A Conservative Model of An Average Daily Economy in the River Bank at Dhubri 24. Basic Profile of Surveyed Villages 25. Economic Activity Profile of Surveyed Villages centred on Brahmaputra 26. Land Owned and Land Lost by Households 27. Source wise Annual Income of Households (₹) 28. Source wise Percentage of Households Benefitting from River 29. Source wise Damages of Households (₹) 30. Average Standard of Living of A Household and Liability (₹) LIST OF FIGURES 1. Socio-Demographic Indicators of Assam 2. Change of Sectoral Composition of GSDP in Assam 3. Growth Rate of GSDP at Factor Cost at Constant (2004-05) Prices 4. Concentration of Ports and Ferry Ghats in Assam 5. Types of Vessel Used 6. Employee Type in Inland Water Transport 7. Small Hydro Schemes in Northeast Region 8. Trend of Fish Seed Production 9. Trend of Fish Production 10. Affected Nos. of Population due to Floods in Brahmaputra 11. Flood Damages in Assam 12. Concentration of Char Areas in Different Districts in Assam 13. Incidence of Literacy and Poverty 14. River Bank Erosion in Majuli Island 15. Some Satras in Majuli Island 16. Case Study I 17. Case Study II 18. Case Study III 19. Case Study IV 20. Case Study V 21. Cultivation of Crops and Vegetables in Rani Chapari Island 22. Case Study VI 23. Activity Profile of Surveyed Villages centred on Brahmaputra 24. Land Owned and Land Lost by Average Household 25. Source wise Annual Income of Household 26. Source wise Percentage of Households Benefitting from Brahmaputra 27. Source wise Damages of Households Brahmaputra and the Socio-Economic Life of People of Assam 1. Introduction and the Need for the Study Assam for ages together has been a riverine civilization, society and economy. Even today largely it continues so, albeit, recent changes in its social and economic structures. The foundation and Centre of this riverine society and economy has been and continues to be the mighty river of ‘Brahmaputra’. This river with a network of 33 tributaries has influenced and continues to influence the social and economic life of Assam and its people in a matrix of layered inter-relationships. A simple economy basically has three important components i.e., livelihood (production, consumption, exchange and employment), infrastructure and institutions. All these three important components and their temporal and spatial interactions make an economy live and continuous. If Brahmaputra was considered and is being considered to be the life line of Assam and more so in its economic dimension, it is because it has predominantly been influencing and shaping the livelihood, infrastructural and institutional arrangements of Assamese society. However, post 1950 earthquake, this river and its major tributaries have undergone severe physical changes such as increases in the height of the riverbeds. Population of Assam has undergone a steep increase because of natural increment in native population and illegal migration from neighboring country. This has caused the density of population to increase to 398 per sq. km. as per 2011 census. This increase in density of population, the phenomenal depletion of forest and vegetation cover on the river banks, the capturing of the wet land by the incremental and marginal population, the incremental pollution of the environment etc. have all brought in unexpected negative developments affecting the course, nature and intensity of flow, magnitude of erosion etc. of this mighty river and its tributaries. Further, this expansive river, flows through three countries of Chinese Tibet, India and Bangladesh. In its Tsangpo form in Tibet, it traverses a distance of 1625 km and constitutes the upstream of the river. Of late, the Chinese Government is believed to have started building huge dams controlling the flow of the river. Few big dams are in the process of coming up in the up streams of the river in the province of Arunachal Pradesh. All these developments have serious present and potential negative effects on the geography, society and economy of Assam in the form of increased river bank erosion, unnatural high floods leading to inundation of fresh areas, saltation of cultivated land, huge loss to human and animal lives, damage to physical infrastructure and loss of livelihood to millions etc. They do have extant and potential negative impacts on the livelihood, infrastructural and institutional arrangements in the Assamese society and therefore put a question mark on the ‘life-line’ status of the great river. It is against this background, our present study attempts to analyze the current situation of various influences of this river on the socioeconomic life of the people and communities in Assam. In a sense, it is an examination of the contemporary ‘life line’ status of this networked river for the people and communities of Assam. 1.1 Objectives of the Study The primary objective of this study is to understand the nature and dynamics of the impact of the river Brahmaputra on the socioeconomic life of the people of Assam. However, the specific objectives are outlined below: 1. To make a review of literature on the overall economy of Assam; 2. To examine the contribution of River Brahmaputra to the growth of the economy of Assam taking different sectors of her economy into account using available secondary data; 3. To analyse the impact of the River Brahmaputra on the economy of Assam on the basis of literature. The main areas on which these impacts to be examined are(a) agriculture and allied sectors, (b) tourism, (c) transportation of goods, (d) movement of people; 4. To study the impact of river Brahmaputra on socioeconomic life of the people living on its bank and surrounding areas through field surveys and case studies. 5. To examine socioeconomic status of the people living in char areas around river Brahmaputra. 1.2 Methodology and Data Sources The study has been undertaken by means of collecting both primary and secondary data. Secondary data have been collected from Government publications, Directoratesof Govt. of Assam and their websites such as Economic Survey 2014-15 of Government of Assam, Statistical Handbook Assam 2014, Department of Fishery, Govt. of Assam, Directorate of Inland Transport, Assam,Water Resources Department, Planning and Development Department, Govt. of Assam, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited, and Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India.Data have also been collected and analyzed in terms of literature survey based on the works of a number of authors who have been duly acknowledged in the reference section of this report.