India

Assam Plans Floodplain Zoning Bill to Regulate Construction in Brahmaputra and Barak Basins

By Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha

The Assam government has drafted the Assam Flood Plain Zoning Bill, 2026, which will be presented in the winter session of the state assembly next month. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the bill will place the floodplains of the Brahmaputra and Barak river basins under a legal land‑use zoning system to restrict and regulate construction in vulnerable areas. The legislation will use LiDAR technology and satellite imagery to map flood‑prone zones and classify land into prohibited, regulated and unregulated categories. River channels and active flow areas will be prohibited for construction; regulated zones will require conditions such as elevated plinths and flood‑resilient designs, while unregulated areas outside the identified flood lines will allow normal development. The bill adds a zoning mechanism to existing flood‑control measures such as embankments, riverbank protection, river‑training works and drainage improvements. Floodplain zoning has been part of Assam’s disaster‑management planning; the 2022 State Disaster Management Plan called for a regulatory framework to demarcate vulnerable areas. The draft bill proposes setting up Flood Zoning Authorities at various administrative levels to oversee implementation. During a review on November 5, Sarma directed officials to protect lawful existing property owners and safeguard the interests of Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities traditionally living along riverbanks. The framework provides a 60‑day period for public hearings and objections, with online and physical mechanisms to appeal zoning decisions, and includes safeguards for existing property owners. The bill comes amid this year’s floods, which in July claimed 104 lives in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat. The government says the initiative could be financed through externally aided projects and grants, without adding a financial burden on the state, and Sarma hopes to secure central assistance, including from the Union ministry of Jal Shakti.