Rural Assam’s water woes show full impact of climate change

Climate change is real and its impact is visible to those of us living in India’s Northeast. Northeast India lies in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and has a very fragile and sensitive ecosystem. Because of the geographical location and delicate biodiversity, any change in climate becomes very pronounced. 

Climate change is creating widespread havoc in the region. Long dry spells followed by intense rainfall over a short period of time, unpredictable rainfall patterns, increasing flood intensity and frequency, drastic increases in average temperature, etc are being felt and observed by all. 

The ability and capacity to deal with these changes differ among people and communities. There are communities and geographies that suffer more. Most often, these geographies are inhabited by the most disadvantaged communities. 

The more fortunate of us can spend our entire day indoors in curated environments with air conditioners and a steady supply of electricity. Urban centres are better equipped — but nowhere close to being adequately equipped — to deal with some of these problems. The real crisis is brewing in the rural areas. 

Recently, I was part of a team that conducted focused group discussions in Assam on issues that are faced by rural communities in their daily lives. We conducted discussions in four districts — Nalbari, Kokrajhar, Baksa and Udalguri. One major theme that came up in all the discussions was the scarcity of water. 

For example, the situation in Bamunjuli TE village in Udalguri district is so dire that tube-wells have dried up. People rely on the government water supply to meet their domestic water needs. This supply, while consistent, is dependent on a reliable electricity connection, which is again a big problem. 

Power cuts are the norm and continue for days on end at times. This puts the local population at the mercy of the local tea gardens, which have their own pumps run on generators. People have to carry water for many kilometres, either on foot or on bicycles.

The area lies on the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas, adjacent to the Khalingduar Reserve Forest. It falls in the Bhabar Belt, where groundwater levels are generally low. There are perennial and ephemeral rivers and streams that are a major source of freshwater but even they have started to dry up during the increasingly dry winter. 

The locality boasts a robust network of canals (locally known as dongs) that channel water from the nearby Samrang and Suklai rivers into their villages and agricultural fields. These indigenous, community-built and community-maintained canals used to carry water throughout the year. With the drying up of the rivers during the winter months, these dongs have also dried up. This was not the case until 15-20 years ago.

During the monsoon season, the same rivers carry a lot of water but also a lot of silt and other eroded matter. While erosion is a natural phenomenon for these rivers emerging into the plains, deforestation and other anthropogenic activities upstream have magnified the problem. 

Silt and other eroded matter frequently block the mouths of these canals. As a result, water does not flow freely through the canals even during the monsoon season unless the locals remove these blockages manually. The mouths of the canals are located inside the forest, exposing them to the added threat of encountering wild animals along with strong river currents during the rainy season.

The water stress has turned the lives of the locals upside down. Agriculture has been adversely affected. People cultivate a single crop in a year during the monsoon as agriculture is completely rain-fed with hardly any alternative irrigation facilities. The production is not enough to even meet domestic needs. This increases food insecurity and shrinks an already strained budget. 

Unavailability of water and very long dry spells have also resulted in land degradation. A lot of fertiliser is required to make the land cultivable. This increases the input costs and has health implications. At a time when farmers’ income is being sought to be doubled, the farmers residing in these areas are going through a silent crisis. 

Out-migration due to water stress and other factors has become a common occurrence in these regions. Youth are migrating outside in what can only be described as an exodus. 

A general observation of the local villages and conversations with the local population will give one an idea about how the villages have become devoid of any youthful fervour. Only the children and the old stay back. Most youth find employment in the gig economy in Guwahati or far off places like Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi. They are also employed as security guards and watchmen in a lot of cities, especially in South India. 

This example provides just a glimpse into how water scarcity is gradually climbing the ladder of challenges to become one of the most important issues in the Northeast. The region also collectively receives one of the highest rainfalls in the country and boasts one of the largest river systems in the world — creating a  paradox of our times.

Water harvesting, groundwater replenishment and other measures must be pushed aggressively. We are staring at a grim future where scarcity of water can have grave socio-economic and political implications. All is not lost yet, but the time to act is now.

Kallol Deka is research associate, North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC), Guwahati, Assam

Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth