Guwahati, June 16 (UNB) - All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take measures to save the Indo-Bangla border in Dhubri district from erosion as the first phase of floods has already started creating havoc in the state.

Ajmal, who is also an MP from Dhubri, said erosion is threatening the international border located at Hatsingimari subdivision of the district. "The situation is getting worse and if immediate measures are not taken, the entire area (Hatsingimari) will be totally submerged in the Brahmaputra, endangering the international border with Bangladesh," Ajmal said.

Ajmal said the border road along Hatsingimari-Mankachar area has been badly affected by river erosion in the last few months, threatening the existence of sub-divisional head quarters of Hatsingimari.

"The sub-divisional headquarters is under threat of being washed away by the Brahmaputra. Vast areas of South Salmara, Fakirganj and Sukchar in the district have been totally submerged by the river in the last few years. If immediate protection measures are not taken, the areas in Hatsingimari will meet the same fate," Ajmal said.

In a letter to the PM, the AIUDF chief asked him to intervene in the matter to save the subdivision from erosion. He suggested that immediate steps be taken in the Kaliralga area to check the advancement of erosion towards the border road and Hatsigimari headquarters. Eight districts are hit by floods, affecting over 30,000 people and over 1,000 hectare crop area has been damaged so far.

Source: Times of India