As the Prime Minister on Monday put his weight behind efforts to conserve the steadily-eroding Majuli island in Assam, the Water Resources Ministry said it will “adopt” the endangered island and step up efforts to prevent further erosion.Situated midstream in the Brahmaputra river, Majuli is one of the largest river islands in the world. With a length of about 80 km, it has more than 20 villages with a combined population of about 1.5 lakh. Because of the high silt and sand content, the island has been witnessing a steady erosion and has lost about 400 sq km of its area in the last five decades.Concerned at this constant erosion of the island, which India has nominated to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, Manmohan Singh on Monday reviewed the efforts being taken by the authorities concerned to save the site. Directing the authorities to accord highest priority to check the erosion, the Prime Minister asked for a progress report of the work to be sent to his office every three months, a statement said. Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz said his ministry would make every effort to ensure that further erosion of the island is stopped. “Our ministry is in a mood to adopt Majuli island,” Soz told The Indian Express.“The island is of utmost national importance. It has to be saved at every cost. It is in sharp focus of the ministry, but also a gigantic problem.” The Water Resources Ministry is already running a three-phase project worth Rs 86.56 crore to save the island. The first phase of the project is scheduled to end in March next year.But, Soz said the project might be reassessed to make it more effective. “I think we need to revisit the project. It needs to be reassessed and reappraised,” he said. Soz himself will visit the island on November 14. He will be accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and local MPs.
