BJP says will secure Unesco's world heritage status for Majuli

GUWAHATI: BJP leader L.K Advani on Thursday assured the religious head of the Satras (monastery) that BJP, if voted to power, will secure Unesco���s world heritage status for river island Majuli in Upper Assam. It will solve the erosion problem which is threatening the very existence of the island.

The proposal for declaring the river island as a world heritage site has been rejected by Unesco at least twice.
Majuli is a site of Neo-Vaishnavite culture and available data indicate an erosion rate of 1.9 sq. km per year. The island, with a population of about 2 lakh, once covered a prosperous 1,500 square km. Now it is just 665 sq km.

Mr Advani wrapped up his North East tour after visiting Seppa in Arunachal Pradesh, Tinsukia in Upper Assam and Majuli in Jorhat district.

Accusing UPA, he said, They have failed to take measures to combat the erosion problem."

Satra Adhikar (head) Pitambar Deba Goswami gave him a memorandum on the problem of erosion and measures for Majuli's development.

Meanwhile, in an election rally in Tinsukia, the NDA���s prime ministerial candidate lashed out at UPA saying that the coalition was disintegrating.