Guwahati, Aug. 8 -- Written by A.N Mohammed

Every year, the waters rise - floods come. Every year, Assam suffers; lives are uprooted, the economy is crushed. Behind every flood statistic is a family rebuilding from loss. Assam's resilience is inspiring, but resilience alone cannot be the solution. The time for lasting change is now.

The scale of the crisis

Few states face flooding and erosion as severe, frequent, and prolonged as Assam does. The Rashtriya Barh Ayog estimates that 31,050 sq km- 39.58 percent of the state is flood-prone. Riverbank erosion has steadily consumed Assam for more than six decades, taking 4,270 sq km, or 7.4 percent of the state, since 1950.

Majuli, the world's largest river island, illustrates the toll: it s...