High-powered Brahmaputra Board meet in Guwahati to review flood, erosion plans
Guwahati, May 18
The High-Powered Review Board of the Brahmaputra Board will hold its 14th meeting on Tuesday in Guwahati to review the progress of river basin management initiatives and provide strategic guidance for the future roadmap of the Board.
The meeting will be chaired by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Paatil. The Union Cabinet Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, will attend the session.
Other Union and State Ministers, senior officials from the Centre and the North Eastern States, technical experts, and key stakeholders will also be present during the deliberations.
This meeting holds particular significance following the recent reconstitution of the HPRB, which expanded its membership to include the States of Sikkim and West Bengal.
It also comes amid the ongoing transformation of the Brahmaputra Board into a modern, knowledge-based River Basin Organisation (RBO).
The Board has been executing major initiatives across the North Eastern Region and West Bengal, specifically focusing on the preparation and updation of river basin master plans, flood and erosion management, spring-shed rejuvenation, drainage development, digital transformation, institutional restructuring, and capacity building.
The high-level review will cover the implementation status of decisions taken during the 13th HPRB meeting and assess the overall performance and functioning of the Brahmaputra Board.
The Board will seek policy and strategic direction on organisational restructuring, reforms in master plan preparation, the revitalisation of the North Eastern Hydraulic and Allied Research Institute (NEHARI), the redevelopment of the Brahmaputra Board office complex at Basistha, and the strengthening of digital governance systems.
Additionally, the event will feature the release of books and documentaries documenting the traditional and indigenous water management practices of Northeast India to promote sustainable water conservation.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm from the US but spent time in Guwahati for work. The Brahmaputra is such a mighty river, and it's amazing to see this level of coordination. I hope they focus on early warning systems and community-based flood preparedness too. The documentaries on indigenous water management sound fascinating—those traditional practices often hold the key to sustainable solutions.
Good to see the Brahmaputra Board getting a makeover into a modern River Basin Organisation. We desperately need better master plans. But I hope the meeting also addresses the human cost—like rehabilitation of people displaced by erosion. Numbers and reports are fine, but real relief for affected families is what matters. Just saying. 😐
From the UK, I find the scale of these river management challenges mind-boggling. The inclusion of Sikkim and West Bengal makes perfect sense given the river's course. The digital transformation and capacity building aspects are particularly smart—data-driven decisions can save lives and billions in damages. I'll be watching this closely.
As a student researching Northeast hydrology, this is huge! The spring-shed rejuvenation and indigenous water management focus is exactly what's needed. Too often big govt projects ignore local wisdom. But I hope these books and documentaries actually reach village communities, not just sit in ministry offices. 🙏
Bahut achha initiative hai! Par ek doubt hai—jab tak NEHARI ko proper funding aur autonomy nahi milega, research wale plans adhoore reh jayenge. Also, please involve local ML
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