Assam to table new Bill to combat urban flooding in assembly’s autumn session

Guwahati, August 14: In a move to address the ongoing issue of urban flooding, the Assam cabinet is gearing up to table the Assam Urban Water Bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Bill, 2024, in the upcoming autumn session of the Assam Legislative Assembly.

The session is set to commence on August 22.

The Bill, endorsed in a weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, aims to combat the persistent problem of water-logging in Guwahati and other urban areas.

Once enacted, the legislation will impose strict regulations on the management and use of water bodies within the state's Master Plan Areas.

According to the cabinet's announcement, the Bill will prohibit any authority from allocating or initiating land allotments for areas identified as water bodies without prior approval from the State Level Committee.

Activities such as debris dumping and construction on these sites will be banned.

Violations of the Act will be punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to ₹1,00,000, or both.

Offenders will also be required to restore the water bodies to their original state.

The Bill provides for the preservation, protection, rejuvenation, conservation, regulation, and maintenance of water bodies, including natural water channels, within the notified Master Plan Areas of Assam.

It mandates the scheduling and notification of these water bodies with detailed information on dag numbers and villages, facilitating easier demarcation and protection against encroachment.

To oversee the implementation of the Bill, two levels of committees will be established - a district-level committee responsible for surveying and identifying water bodies, and a state-level committee to oversee broader enforcement and regulation.

The cabinet expressed confidence that the Bill would enhance the local drainage system by improving the retention capacity of water bodies, thereby mitigating the problem of flash floods in Assam's towns and cities.