What is the Char Area?

About Char Area

• The riverine areas (island) of the river Brahmaputra, locally known as “Char/ Chapori”
• The chars follow a peculiar pattern of migration.
• They are subjected to erosion on their upstream and deposition on the downstream, due to which they migrate downstream.
• This affects the geometry and location of the chars during floods almost every year.
• Issues with Char area
  • The physical, sociological and institutional constraints on development of Char Areas are many and complex.
  • Such as virtual absence of all weather communication with the main banks, reliable means of intra and inter char mobility, inadequate growth of transport and basic infrastructure like surface roads, health and drinking water, delivery systems for farm inputs, marketing, agro-services electricity and education.
  • The problems in the Char Areas are unique in nature, due to constant threat from flood and erosion during the rainy season.
  • The land mass is segregated and cut off from each other, making it very difficult for taking any major scheme for road communication, irrigation, Power supply or setting of educational institutions.

Q1) What is erosion?

It is the process where rocks are broken down by natural forces such as wind or water. There are two main types of erosion: chemical and physical. Chemical erosion occurs when a rock’s chemical composition changes, such as when iron rusts or when limestone dissolves due to carbonation.

Source: Will reclaim ‘char’ areas from encroachers: Assam CM