Flood and erosion take a toll on learning across Assam

Kathali Part II Janata Lower Primary School in Bilasipara in Dhubri district was washed away by Gaurang River.

Children in parts of Assam are forced to study in make-shift schools as school buildings get destroyed due to erosion. Photo Credit: Indo Global Social Service Society

Tragedy struck nearly 100 students of Kalsabhanga High School in Assam, weeks before their examination in May last year. As the annual flood hit this western Assam town, the mighty Brahmaputra washed away the entire school situated in its outskirts. “As the examination was soon approaching, we had no option but to take classes under the open sky for at least a week. Then the villagers contributed bamboo and tin sheets to construct a makeshift classroom,” said Rakibul Ahmed, a teacher in the school.

During monsoon this year, Kathali Part II Janata Lower Primary School met with the same fate. The kitchen meant for the mid-day meal was first eroded by Gaurang River, one of the tributaries of the Brahmaputra and all three classrooms and the staff room were subsequently washed away in a matter of minutes on September 17. “The buildings collapsed into the river like a pack of cards. Teachers and students looked on helplessly,” said Sahadat Ali, a resident of Kathali, a village in Dhubri district, one of the flood-prone districts in Assam.

As the flood plays havoc in Assam almost every year, many schools disappear due to river bank erosion — a problem which the state has been grappling with for long and which causes loss of lives and livelihood.

“Devastating floods followed by river bank erosion has been causing internal displacement, more in the riverine areas and destruction of public infrastructure like schools, healthcare centres and Anganwadi centres. This severely impacts education, particularly at the primary school level,” said Raju Kumar Narzary, executive director of North East Research and Social Work Networking (NERSWN), an NGO working for the welfare of the riverine communities in western Assam.

“Learning is affected for months. This increases high school drop out rates and results in child labour and early marriage of the girls,” Narzary said.

Assam witnessed serious floods this year between May and September resulting in the death of more than 100 people and affecting over 50 lakh people. Roads, bridges, culverts, embankments and public utility buildings like schools have been severely damaged. A survey conducted by the state education department found that 667 primary school and 34 high school were damaged due to the flood and erosion this year. More than 1,000 schools get partially or completely damaged in flood and erosion almost every year. “Even if there is no flood in the winter, river bank erosion continues,” said an official in the state disaster management department. According to an estimate by the Assam government, the state lost nearly 4 lakh hectares of land due to river bank erosion since 1950.

According to experts, Himalayan states including Assam are increasingly bearing the brunt of climate change, and as a result the problem of flood and river bank erosion is aggravating.

Climate change and erosion

“Average temperatures in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region have already increased by 1.3° C, and scientists believe that 40% of the glaciers in the Tibetan plateau could disappear by 2050. The accelerated melting of glaciers increases the flow volume of rivers and is likely to cause river-bank erosion in downstream areas like Assam,” said Rituraj Phukan, an Assam-based climate activist.

He cited a 2018 report of Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the Indian Himalayan Region Using a Common Framework that named Assam and Mizoram as the two most vulnerable states to climate change.

As the flow and volume of water has increased over the years vis-a-vis dwindling water retention capacity of the two big rivers — the Brahmaputra and Barak — and their tributaries, the problem of river bank erosion increased across Assam. “We have come across several schools washed away in flood and erosion in Dhubri, Chirang, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kamrup and other districts. The problem is increasing every year,” said Makib Uddin Sikdar, project co-ordinator of Indo-Global Social Service Society, an NGO implementing a project to renovate and refurbish 14 flood-hit schools in Chirang and Barpeta districts.

The way forward

Worried over the situation, UNICEF field office in Assam has stressed on more investment in flood preparedness and a comprehensive response plan to make sure that education is not disrupted or the impact is reduced.

“Disruption of learning and inaccessibility to daily nutrition through mid-day meals are some of the immediate impacts of schools getting damaged or washed way due to floods. The comprehensive mitigation plan should also include having a blended approach of mobile schools and libraries, school-in-a-box programme and the deployment of teachers to relief camps to support children. Floods are perennial in Assam, and therefore, continuation of essential services such as education should be addressed on priority,” said Madhulika Jonathan, chief of field office, UNICEF Assam.