Assam’s Water Resources Minister laid the foundation stone for the dredging of the Namdang, Doikhana, and Danchi rivers in the Geleky area of Nazira sub-division, Sivasagar district. 

  • The project aims to provide flood relief to residents who have long suffered from annual inundations that render large tracts of agricultural land uncultivable.

About the Project

  • Name: Dredging Scheme for Namdang, Doikhana, and Danchi Rivers
  • Location: Geleky area under Nazira subdivision, Sivasagar district, Assam
  • Implementing Department: Assam Department of Water Resources
  • Estimated Cost: ₹8 crore (with potential additional funding of ₹2–3 crore)
  • Time Frame: Completion within four months
  • Objective of the Project:
    • Flood Control and Drainage Improvement – To desilt/deepen riverbeds, enhancing their capacity to hold and channel floodwaters.
    • Agricultural Restoration – To reclaim farmland rendered unfit for cultivation due to siltation and prolonged waterlogging.
    • Erosion Control – To reduce bank erosion/protect rural settlements along the riverbanks.
    • Community Relief – To provide lasting solutions to recurring flood distress in the Na-Pukhuri, Geleky, Rajabheta, and Piyali Phukan Panchayats.

Background and Need

  • The Namdang, Doikhana, and Danchi rivers originate in the Naga Hills, flowing down into Assam’s plains.
  • Over the decades, siltation, sediment load, and deforestation upstream have caused their channels to become shallow.
  • During monsoons, these rivers overflow and inundate nearby villages and paddy fields, displacing families and damaging crops.
  • The Geleky area, part of the Nazira Assembly Constituency, has faced chronic flooding, impacting food security and livelihoods.
  • The Namdang River is a tributary of the Dikhow River, which itself is a major south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
  • Doikhana River is a minor tributary of the Namdang River, and thus an indirect tributary of the Dikhow.
  • The Danchi River is another small hill stream originating from the Naga Hills, draining into the Namdang–Doikhana river system.

Prelims Facts at a Glance

Aspect

Details

Project NameDredging of Namdang, Doikhana, and Danchi rivers
LocationGeleky, Nazira (Sivasagar district), Assam
Estimated Cost₹8 crore (with possible additional ₹2–3 crore)
Implementation PeriodFour months
Key ObjectiveFlood mitigation and agricultural land reclamation
Associated RiverDikhow River (20 km embankment planned)
Upstream SourceNaga Hills
Beneficiary PanchayatsNa-Pukhuri, Geleky, Rajabheta, Piyali Phukan
DepartmentDepartment of Water Resources, Assam

Statement-Based MCQ

Consider the following statements about the Geleky River Dredging Project:

  1. The project aims to dredge the Namdang, Doikhana, and Danchi rivers to mitigate floods in the Nazira region.
  2. These rivers originate from the Naga Hills and flow through Sivasagar district before meeting the Brahmaputra.
  3. A 20-km embankment along the Dikhow River in Simaluguri is also part of the project.
  4. The scheme is being implemented under the Namami Gange Programme.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
 (a) 1 and 3 only
 (b) 1, 2 and 3 only
 (c) 2 and 4 only
 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: (b)

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