Kharghuli pipeline burst: Oppn calls it 'govt's failure', urges human rights commission to step in

Guwahati, Jan 2: The massive pipeline burst that wreaked havoc in Guwahati's Kharghuli area on Thursday has sparked sharp criticism from the Opposition, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government now facing the heat.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congressman Debabrata Saikia, visibly alarmed by the repeated nature of such incidents across the city, called it a clear failure of the government.

He further urged the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to take suo motu cognisance of the situation, demanding swift accountability and action.

"I request the SHRC to take suo motu cognizance of the incident. Since these incidents are happening too frequently, there must be a deeper issue; someone is definitely at fault," said Saikia, who visited the site to assess the situation.

Recalling the death of Mohini Boro, who died due to a pipeline burst in the same area in 2023, Saikia said he had filed a complaint with the SHRC following the earlier incident, but no concrete action was taken.

"I had complained to the SHRC. I asked whether radiography tests were conducted, and whether the contractor had experience working with high-pressure pipes. We have been receiving funding from an international agency (JICA), and I'm sure they have standard operating procedures. We must learn from past mistakes, but it seems the government hasn't learned anything," he said.

In response to Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Barua’s statement that the department couldn't be held responsible for the incident, Saikia remarked that the Minister, having taken up the position only recently, might not yet have full awareness of the issue.

"Minister Barua is still new to the responsibility. He has been in the position for less than a month. The project started during the tenure of the late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and to this day, it remains incomplete," Saikia added.

Congressman Saikia also questioned the Chief Minister's insistence on bringing in researchers only from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), rather than seeking expertise from other sources.

"Last year, I suggested the government bring in a team of international experts to assess the situation. The Chief Minister is fixated on IIT researchers; why not consult IIT Mumbai? The government must be held accountable," he said.

Meanwhile, Pallav Gopal Jha, Managing Director of the Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewage Board, provided an explanation, stating, “We had installed surge tank vessels, as recommended by scientists from IIT, to minimize water pressure on the pipelines and had planned a three-day water supply halt starting tomorrow. Unfortunately, this accident occurred earlier than expected.”

Interestingly, the Guwahati Jal Board had earlier notified the public on social media about its plans to conduct flushing and testing of the distribution network in areas, including Kharghuli, Joypur, Ramsa Hill, Hirimbapur, Silpukhuri, and Dighalipukhuri, on Thursday morning.