India river island under threat

By Ayanjit Sen BBC correspondent in Majuli

An ecological disaster looms over the world's largest river island.

Located in the Brahmaputra river in India's north-eastern Assam state, Majuli is rapidly eroding away, threatening the lives of the 150,000 islanders.

Environmentalists say Majuli has shrunk by more than 400 sqare kilometres in the past three decades.

They say the island's main problem is the Brahmaputra, infamous for floods, and for frequently changing its course.

And every time this happens, the current undercuts Majuli's sandy soil, undermining its foundations.

Environmentalists say an earthquake in 1950 added to the problem. Majuli has been rapidly eroding away ever since.

Originally covering an area of 1,250 sq km, the island has now shrunk to about two-thirds in size.

'Immense problem'

There has been proposal to have Majuli declared a world heritage site by the Unesco, but it could be wiped off the map one day.

Majuli's islanders face a future threatened by erosion

Indian authorities have built several embankments and dykes to check flooding, but this has not solved the problem.

Assam's Flood Control Minister Nurzamal Sarkar told the BBC the government was making fresh attempts to control erosion but admitted that an ecological tragedy loomed large.

"We understand the immensity of the problem, but the central government too should take steps to protect this island," he said.

One man who tried to look into the problem of erosion was Sanjoy Ghosh, an activist leading an NGO called the Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development.

But he was killed shortly after he began taking an interest. Police blame rebels of the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) for his death.

Endangered faith

Local NGOs say soil erosion threatens the security of Majuli's islanders, whose only link with the mainland is by using boats.

Even the islanders' religious faith is not safe

"Hundreds of local people have been reduced to nomads as they have to move from one place to another because of this erosion," says Dr AK Sharma, a member of parliament from the state.

Ananda Hazarika, of the Majuli Island Protection and Development Council, says the geology of the land is complex and quake-prone.

Even members of local Vaishnav (followers of Hindu God Vishnu) monasteries say they will have to leave Majuli if erosion continues.

Known as "satras", these are monastic institutions that enshrine the essence of the Vaishnav faith and spread the teachings of the sect's saint - Sankardeva.

There are 22 such monasteries in Majuli, which act as the centre of Assamese culture with their traditional prayer form, a 500-year old open air theatrical custom, colourful boat races, classical dances and handicrafts.

"We will be forced to move if no action is taken to solve the flood problem and end erosion," said Golap Baruah, a senior member of a local monastery.