GUWAHATI, Nov19 � The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has not been able to demarcate the boundary of the Deepor Beel as well as its protection works. This was stated by the GMDA itself in its action taken report submitted to the Guwahati Development Department (GDD) on January 30, 2014, on the decisions of the meeting held on January 5, 2013. The said meeting was held under the GDD on preservation and protection of water bodies in the city. The GDD Minister presided over the meeting.
The GDD made the above GMDA report available to RTI activist Rohit Choudhury in reply to an RTI application filed on September 13 last.
It needs mention here that the State Government constituted an interim administrative committee with Chief Secretary of the State as its head, to ensure coordinated development in and around Deepor Beel.
The GMDA said in its report that the demarcation of the boundary of the Bondajan wetland is almost completed. In certain partitions encroachment has to be made free with the co-operation of the Revenue and District authorities.
In the case of the Silsako Beel, in certain portions, particularly the east side near Ginger Hotel and a small portion in the southern side, demarcation of the boundary and erection of boundary walls could be done. Rest of the portions have not been demarcated yet. Revenue and District authorities are requested from time to time. Once only encroachment eviction action could be taken out of the six programmes, ordered by the authority, said the GMDA in its report.
The amphibian dredger operations in the Silsako Beel resulted in the initiation of channel development between the Sai Temple in the east and the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development in the west and through the Silsako water body to Pathor Quarry Road RCC Bridge. The length of the channel is 3.5 km +1.20 km with an average width of 15 metres and a depth of 2 metres.
Two ponds of the size of 40 metres by 20 metres by two metres have also been excavated within the Silsako Beel near the Ginger Hotel.
The channel developed in the Bondajan water body from the Oil India Limited campus boundary wall to Narengi Chandrapur Road has a length of 600 metres with an average width of 15 metres. It is two metres in depth.
Development works is in progress in the demarcated area of the whole of Bondajan water body by depth cutting and making an island to develop a recreational site in future, the report said.
Development works of the channel in OIL campus portion will be taken up as soon as green signal is received from the OIL authority, said the GMDA report.
