Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

2015-12-28 Thread dilipdeka 
Dear Baruah,
The technical article you sent is very general. It is more about the 
surroundings than Majuli itself. I have not heard about any geotechnical study 
of the island itself. I'd like to hear from a geotechnical engineer if it will 
help in finding a solution. It has been used in places like Venezuela to 
stabilize cliffs on seashore.
Dilip Deka

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 28, 2015, at 10:41 AM, Sanjib Baruah  wrote:
> 
> 
> Dear Deka,
> 
> Below is an excerpt from a journal article by Debojyoti Das of Birkbeck 
> College, University of London. It does not answer your question directly.  
> But it may be helpful.  It may shed some doubt on whether “engineers can come 
> up with a solution.” There is a debate among experts.  
> 
> Hope all is well,
> 
> Sanjib Baruah
> 
> 
> “Majuli is surrounded by a complex geological structure of sedimentary 
> formation and tertiary sandstone in the Upper Brahmaputra Valley in 
> northeastern part of India. The landscape is characterized in geo-tectonic 
> discourse as vulnerable and particularly susceptible to the tectonic hazards 
> posed by plate movements and the hydraulic ebb and flow of the Brahmaputra 
> and its tributaries …… Geologists and hydrologist working for the Brahmaputra 
> Board argued that the lift of the riverbed following the Assam earthquake 
> triggered more destructive floods. Before that period, water flow maintained 
> a relative equilibrium with the natural flow in the tributaries of the 
> Brahmaputra. However, as embankments were built to protect key settlements 
> all along the southern side of the Brahmaputra valley, the flow of the river 
> was squeezed with linear embankment structures that became vulnerable to 
> breaches from hydraulic pressure and peak discharge during monsoons….  
> Structural measures meant to tame the Brahmaputra have had more catastrophic 
> ecological effects than the physical rise of the riverbed resulting from the 
> 1950 earthquake.”
> 
> - Original Message -
> From: "Dilip Deka" 
> To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" 
> 
> Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 11:54:07 AM
> Subject: Re: [Assam] Looking for right information
> 
> How much do we know about the geological formation of Majuli? Has there been 
> a geotechnical study of the island done by taking deep core samples? If there 
> is rock underneath, there is some hope to salvage the island. Engineers can 
> come up with a solution. Any comment from geotechnical engineers in Assamnet?
> Dilip Deka
> Houston, Texas
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:06 AM, Anna  wrote:
>> 
>> Dear All
>> Thanks for all these discussions on Majuli and erosions.  The real question 
>> is whether this is due to man made causes or is part of the natural process? 
>>  If natural, then we should leave it at that.  All over the world natural 
>> changes are happening - creating new islands from volcanic activities as 
>> well as submerging existing islands with floods, icebergs etc.  If 
>> completely due to our own foolishness then of course there should be 
>> concern.  By the way, native people all over the world such as aborigines in 
>> Australia, various tribes in Amazon have always lived in harmony with nature 
>> without harming it.  So it is possible to live and let live but none of us 
>> in this list is equipped to do so as well as these native folks did and are 
>> continuing to do.  I am not sure where do current Majuli inhabitants fall - 
>> native or with the rest of us?  My two cents only.
>> 
>> Wishing you all a very happy 2016!
>> Aradhana Baruah Satin
>> NJ, USA 
>> (Originally from Jorhat - across the river from Majuli)
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:19 AM, kamal deka  wrote:
>>> 
>>> True, Isla de Marajo, in the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil, is the
>>> real holder of that title. But if Marajo is bigger than Majuli, Majuli
>>> is certainly home to far more people: more than 150,000 of them, on
>>> something like 500 sq km. And they face a unique and grave problem:
>>> the island is being steadily eroded by the Brahmaputra. Just since
>>> 1991, half of Majuli has been washed away. This is the problem where
>>> everyone should try to put the spotlight on.
>>> 
>>>> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 5:49 AM, Sanjib Baruah  wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> A recent news report in the Telegraph said Majuli was 1,244 square km in 
>>>> 1950, and is now 650 square km.
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151223/jsp/northeast/s

Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

2015-12-28 Thread Sanjib Baruah 

Dear Deka,

Below is an excerpt from a journal article by Debojyoti Das of Birkbeck 
College, University of London. It does not answer your question directly.  But 
it may be helpful.  It may shed some doubt on whether “engineers can come up 
with a solution.” There is a debate among experts.  

Hope all is well,

Sanjib Baruah


 “Majuli is surrounded by a complex geological structure of sedimentary 
formation and tertiary sandstone in the Upper Brahmaputra Valley in 
northeastern part of India. The landscape is characterized in geo-tectonic 
discourse as vulnerable and particularly susceptible to the tectonic hazards 
posed by plate movements and the hydraulic ebb and flow of the Brahmaputra and 
its tributaries …… Geologists and hydrologist working for the Brahmaputra Board 
argued that the lift of the riverbed following the Assam earthquake triggered 
more destructive floods. Before that period, water flow maintained a relative 
equilibrium with the natural flow in the tributaries of the Brahmaputra. 
However, as embankments were built to protect key settlements all along the 
southern side of the Brahmaputra valley, the flow of the river was squeezed 
with linear embankment structures that became vulnerable to breaches from 
hydraulic pressure and peak discharge during monsoons….  Structural measures 
meant to tame the Brahmaputra have had more catastrophic ecological effects 
than the physical rise of the riverbed resulting from the 1950 earthquake.”

- Original Message -
From: "Dilip Deka" 
To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" 

Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 11:54:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

How much do we know about the geological formation of Majuli? Has there been a 
geotechnical study of the island done by taking deep core samples? If there is 
rock underneath, there is some hope to salvage the island. Engineers can come 
up with a solution. Any comment from geotechnical engineers in Assamnet?
Dilip Deka
Houston, Texas

Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:06 AM, Anna  wrote:
> 
> Dear All
> Thanks for all these discussions on Majuli and erosions.  The real question 
> is whether this is due to man made causes or is part of the natural process?  
> If natural, then we should leave it at that.  All over the world natural 
> changes are happening - creating new islands from volcanic activities as well 
> as submerging existing islands with floods, icebergs etc.  If completely due 
> to our own foolishness then of course there should be concern.  By the way, 
> native people all over the world such as aborigines in Australia, various 
> tribes in Amazon have always lived in harmony with nature without harming it. 
>  So it is possible to live and let live but none of us in this list is 
> equipped to do so as well as these native folks did and are continuing to do. 
>  I am not sure where do current Majuli inhabitants fall - native or with the 
> rest of us?  My two cents only.
> 
> Wishing you all a very happy 2016!
> Aradhana Baruah Satin
> NJ, USA 
> (Originally from Jorhat - across the river from Majuli)
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:19 AM, kamal deka  wrote:
>> 
>> True, Isla de Marajo, in the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil, is the
>> real holder of that title. But if Marajo is bigger than Majuli, Majuli
>> is certainly home to far more people: more than 150,000 of them, on
>> something like 500 sq km. And they face a unique and grave problem:
>> the island is being steadily eroded by the Brahmaputra. Just since
>> 1991, half of Majuli has been washed away. This is the problem where
>> everyone should try to put the spotlight on.
>> 
>>> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 5:49 AM, Sanjib Baruah  wrote:
>>> 
>>> A recent news report in the Telegraph said Majuli was 1,244 square km in 
>>> 1950, and is now 650 square km.
>>> 
>>> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151223/jsp/northeast/story_59886.jsp#.VoEftVLBTPM
>>> 
>>> I suspect what complicates measurements a bit is that Majuli is not a 
>>> single land mass. It has a mainland – where the most of the places we 
>>> associate with Majuli, the Xatras, government departments etc are -- and a 
>>> large number of chars and chaporis. Officially the island has 34 chaporis. 
>>> Some these chaporis are connected to the mainland during the dry months , 
>>> but others are permanently separated.
>>> 
>>> Sanjib Baruah
>>> 
>>> 
>>> - Original Message -
>>> From: "Wahid Saleh - Indiawijzer" 
>>> To: [email protected]
>>> Cc: "Assamnet" 
>>> Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 5:3

Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

2015-12-28 Thread Dilip Deka 
How much do we know about the geological formation of Majuli? Has there been a 
geotechnical study of the island done by taking deep core samples? If there is 
rock underneath, there is some hope to salvage the island. Engineers can come 
up with a solution. Any comment from geotechnical engineers in Assamnet?
Dilip Deka
Houston, Texas

Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:06 AM, Anna  wrote:
> 
> Dear All
> Thanks for all these discussions on Majuli and erosions.  The real question 
> is whether this is due to man made causes or is part of the natural process?  
> If natural, then we should leave it at that.  All over the world natural 
> changes are happening - creating new islands from volcanic activities as well 
> as submerging existing islands with floods, icebergs etc.  If completely due 
> to our own foolishness then of course there should be concern.  By the way, 
> native people all over the world such as aborigines in Australia, various 
> tribes in Amazon have always lived in harmony with nature without harming it. 
>  So it is possible to live and let live but none of us in this list is 
> equipped to do so as well as these native folks did and are continuing to do. 
>  I am not sure where do current Majuli inhabitants fall - native or with the 
> rest of us?  My two cents only.
> 
> Wishing you all a very happy 2016!
> Aradhana Baruah Satin
> NJ, USA 
> (Originally from Jorhat - across the river from Majuli)
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:19 AM, kamal deka  wrote:
>> 
>> True, Isla de Marajo, in the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil, is the
>> real holder of that title. But if Marajo is bigger than Majuli, Majuli
>> is certainly home to far more people: more than 150,000 of them, on
>> something like 500 sq km. And they face a unique and grave problem:
>> the island is being steadily eroded by the Brahmaputra. Just since
>> 1991, half of Majuli has been washed away. This is the problem where
>> everyone should try to put the spotlight on.
>> 
>>> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 5:49 AM, Sanjib Baruah  wrote:
>>> 
>>> A recent news report in the Telegraph said Majuli was 1,244 square km in 
>>> 1950, and is now 650 square km.
>>> 
>>> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151223/jsp/northeast/story_59886.jsp#.VoEftVLBTPM
>>> 
>>> I suspect what complicates measurements a bit is that Majuli is not a 
>>> single land mass. It has a mainland – where the most of the places we 
>>> associate with Majuli, the Xatras, government departments etc are -- and a 
>>> large number of chars and chaporis. Officially the island has 34 chaporis. 
>>> Some these chaporis are connected to the mainland during the dry months , 
>>> but others are permanently separated.
>>> 
>>> Sanjib Baruah
>>> 
>>> 
>>> - Original Message -
>>> From: "Wahid Saleh - Indiawijzer" 
>>> To: [email protected]
>>> Cc: "Assamnet" 
>>> Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 5:33:48 AM
>>> Subject: [Assam] Looking for right information
>>> 
>>> As an Assamese we proudly say that Majuli is the biggest river-island in 
>>> the world. It might have been once upon a time. But due to different reason 
>>> every year we are offering a part of Majuli to Brahmaputra. I have come 
>>> across information on the internet announcing that Majuli is no longer the 
>>> largest river-island in the world.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 1.   According to World Island Information Majuli is the 7th largest 
>>> river-island in the world
>>> 
>>>http://www.worldislandinfo.com/MISINFORMATION.htm
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 2.  Wikipedia mentions that Marajó island of Brasil is the largest 
>>> river-island of the world.
>>>  
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraj%C3%B3
>>> 
>>> Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It 
>>> is part of the state of Pará. Marajó is the largest fluvial island in the 
>>> world, and the second largest island in South America. With a land area of 
>>> 40,100 square kilometres (15,500 sq mi) Marajó is comparable in size to 
>>> Switzerland. It is approximately 295 kilometres (183 mi) long and 200 
>>> kilometres (120 mi) wide
>>> 
>>> This is also mentioned by Britannica.
>>>  
>>> http://www.britannica.com/place/Marajo-Island
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Greetings,
>>> 
>>> Wahid
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ___
>>> assam mailing list
>>> [email protected]
>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>>> 
>>> ___
>>> assam mailing list
>>> [email protected]
>>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> 
>> ___
>> assam mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> 
> ___
> assam mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://ass

Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

2015-12-28 Thread Anna 
Dear All
Thanks for all these discussions on Majuli and erosions.  The real question is 
whether this is due to man made causes or is part of the natural process?  If 
natural, then we should leave it at that.  All over the world natural changes 
are happening - creating new islands from volcanic activities as well as 
submerging existing islands with floods, icebergs etc.  If completely due to 
our own foolishness then of course there should be concern.  By the way, native 
people all over the world such as aborigines in Australia, various tribes in 
Amazon have always lived in harmony with nature without harming it.  So it is 
possible to live and let live but none of us in this list is equipped to do so 
as well as these native folks did and are continuing to do.  I am not sure 
where do current Majuli inhabitants fall - native or with the rest of us?  My 
two cents only.

Wishing you all a very happy 2016!
Aradhana Baruah Satin
NJ, USA 
(Originally from Jorhat - across the river from Majuli)

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 28, 2015, at 9:19 AM, kamal deka  wrote:
> 
> True, Isla de Marajo, in the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil, is the
> real holder of that title. But if Marajo is bigger than Majuli, Majuli
> is certainly home to far more people: more than 150,000 of them, on
> something like 500 sq km. And they face a unique and grave problem:
> the island is being steadily eroded by the Brahmaputra. Just since
> 1991, half of Majuli has been washed away. This is the problem where
> everyone should try to put the spotlight on.
> 
>> On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 5:49 AM, Sanjib Baruah  wrote:
>> 
>> A recent news report in the Telegraph said Majuli was 1,244 square km in 
>> 1950, and is now 650 square km.
>> 
>> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151223/jsp/northeast/story_59886.jsp#.VoEftVLBTPM
>> 
>> I suspect what complicates measurements a bit is that Majuli is not a single 
>> land mass. It has a mainland – where the most of the places we associate 
>> with Majuli, the Xatras, government departments etc are -- and a large 
>> number of chars and chaporis. Officially the island has 34 chaporis. Some 
>> these chaporis are connected to the mainland during the dry months , but 
>> others are permanently separated.
>> 
>> Sanjib Baruah
>> 
>> 
>> - Original Message -
>> From: "Wahid Saleh - Indiawijzer" 
>> To: [email protected]
>> Cc: "Assamnet" 
>> Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 5:33:48 AM
>> Subject: [Assam] Looking for right information
>> 
>> As an Assamese we proudly say that Majuli is the biggest river-island in the 
>> world. It might have been once upon a time. But due to different reason 
>> every year we are offering a part of Majuli to Brahmaputra. I have come 
>> across information on the internet announcing that Majuli is no longer the 
>> largest river-island in the world.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 1.   According to World Island Information Majuli is the 7th largest 
>> river-island in the world
>> 
>> http://www.worldislandinfo.com/MISINFORMATION.htm
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 2.  Wikipedia mentions that Marajó island of Brasil is the largest 
>> river-island of the world.
>>  
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraj%C3%B3
>> 
>> Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It 
>> is part of the state of Pará. Marajó is the largest fluvial island in the 
>> world, and the second largest island in South America. With a land area of 
>> 40,100 square kilometres (15,500 sq mi) Marajó is comparable in size to 
>> Switzerland. It is approximately 295 kilometres (183 mi) long and 200 
>> kilometres (120 mi) wide
>> 
>> This is also mentioned by Britannica.
>>  
>> http://www.britannica.com/place/Marajo-Island
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Greetings,
>> 
>> Wahid
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ___
>> assam mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>> 
>> ___
>> assam mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
> 
> ___
> assam mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org

___
assam mailing list
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Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

2015-12-28 Thread kamal deka 
True, Isla de Marajo, in the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil, is the
real holder of that title. But if Marajo is bigger than Majuli, Majuli
is certainly home to far more people: more than 150,000 of them, on
something like 500 sq km. And they face a unique and grave problem:
the island is being steadily eroded by the Brahmaputra. Just since
1991, half of Majuli has been washed away. This is the problem where
everyone should try to put the spotlight on.

On Mon, Dec 28, 2015 at 5:49 AM, Sanjib Baruah  wrote:
>
> A recent news report in the Telegraph said Majuli was 1,244 square km in 
> 1950, and is now 650 square km.
>
> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151223/jsp/northeast/story_59886.jsp#.VoEftVLBTPM
>
> I suspect what complicates measurements a bit is that Majuli is not a single 
> land mass. It has a mainland – where the most of the places we associate with 
> Majuli, the Xatras, government departments etc are -- and a large number of 
> chars and chaporis. Officially the island has 34 chaporis. Some these 
> chaporis are connected to the mainland during the dry months , but others are 
> permanently separated.
>
> Sanjib Baruah
>
>
> - Original Message -
> From: "Wahid Saleh - Indiawijzer" 
> To: [email protected]
> Cc: "Assamnet" 
> Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 5:33:48 AM
> Subject: [Assam] Looking for right information
>
> As an Assamese we proudly say that Majuli is the biggest river-island in the 
> world. It might have been once upon a time. But due to different reason every 
> year we are offering a part of Majuli to Brahmaputra. I have come across 
> information on the internet announcing that Majuli is no longer the largest 
> river-island in the world.
>
>
>
> 1.   According to World Island Information Majuli is the 7th largest 
> river-island in the world
>
>  http://www.worldislandinfo.com/MISINFORMATION.htm
>
>
>
> 2.  Wikipedia mentions that Marajó island of Brasil is the largest 
> river-island of the world.
>   
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraj%C3%B3
>
> Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It is 
> part of the state of Pará. Marajó is the largest fluvial island in the world, 
> and the second largest island in South America. With a land area of 40,100 
> square kilometres (15,500 sq mi) Marajó is comparable in size to Switzerland. 
> It is approximately 295 kilometres (183 mi) long and 200 kilometres (120 mi) 
> wide
>
> This is also mentioned by Britannica.
>   
> http://www.britannica.com/place/Marajo-Island
>
>
>
> Greetings,
>
> Wahid
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___
> assam mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
>
> ___
> assam mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org

___
assam mailing list
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Re: [Assam] Looking for right information

2015-12-28 Thread Sanjib Baruah 

A recent news report in the Telegraph said Majuli was 1,244 square km in 1950, 
and is now 650 square km. 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1151223/jsp/northeast/story_59886.jsp#.VoEftVLBTPM

I suspect what complicates measurements a bit is that Majuli is not a single 
land mass. It has a mainland – where the most of the places we associate with 
Majuli, the Xatras, government departments etc are -- and a large number of 
chars and chaporis. Officially the island has 34 chaporis. Some these chaporis 
are connected to the mainland during the dry months , but others are 
permanently separated.

Sanjib Baruah


- Original Message -
From: "Wahid Saleh - Indiawijzer" 
To: [email protected]
Cc: "Assamnet" 
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2015 5:33:48 AM
Subject: [Assam] Looking for right information

As an Assamese we proudly say that Majuli is the biggest river-island in the 
world. It might have been once upon a time. But due to different reason every 
year we are offering a part of Majuli to Brahmaputra. I have come across 
information on the internet announcing that Majuli is no longer the largest 
river-island in the world.

 

1.   According to World Island Information Majuli is the 7th largest 
river-island in the world

 http://www.worldislandinfo.com/MISINFORMATION.htm

 

2.  Wikipedia mentions that Marajó island of Brasil is the largest 
river-island of the world.
  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraj%C3%B3

Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It is 
part of the state of Pará. Marajó is the largest fluvial island in the world, 
and the second largest island in South America. With a land area of 40,100 
square kilometres (15,500 sq mi) Marajó is comparable in size to Switzerland. 
It is approximately 295 kilometres (183 mi) long and 200 kilometres (120 mi) 
wide

This is also mentioned by Britannica.
  
http://www.britannica.com/place/Marajo-Island

 

Greetings,

Wahid

 





 

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