Rukminigaon locals slam govt over unresolved waterlogging issue ahead of monsoon
Rukminigaon residents protest against inaction by state government over flood issue
Guwahati, Nov 17: With next year’s monsoon season approaching, residents of Rukminigaon expressed concerns on Sunday over the state government’s inaction regarding the persistent waterlogging issue.
The residents claimed that not a single promise made by the government to address the problem of artificial flooding has been fulfilled to date. “If the government does not act in the dry season, when will it work?” one resident questioned.
“Neither engineers nor contractors are seen here working to mitigate the artificial flooding issue. The government assured us that the waterlogging would be resolved after the construction of a drainage system, but two years have passed and the work is still not complete. They have installed two pumps, but we have to call them to use them,” a resident added.
“We have also heard that a committee was formed to resolve the waterlogging issue, but now we’ve learned that Minister Ashok Singhal does not discuss the committee. If they think we won’t raise the issue during the dry season, they are mistaken. We will continue to fight for a resolution, even when such incidents do not occur,” they said.
The residents also questioned the government's plans to dredge the Bahini River and divert floodwater to Silsako. “Since 2018, Rukminigaon residents have been facing severe waterlogging issues following the establishment of the new Secretariat complex and the Supermarket flyover. The water enters from the Bahini River and BN Saikia Road in Rukminigaon,” one resident explained.
“The committee formed by the state government, comprising senior officials from GMC, PWD, and others, submitted a survey report, but none of the recommended steps have been implemented so far,” another resident added.
They further alleged that the drains have been constructed in an unscientific manner, exacerbating the difficulties faced by the residents.
“Recently, we heard that a Dutch company has been brought in to assess the flood issue. If that’s the case, we urge Ashok Singhal to make the report public through the media,” a resident told The Assam Tribune.
Meanwhile, a recent study conducted by the state government on the flood problem in the Rukminigaon area has stated that pumping out excess water from the affected areas into nearby water channels, including the Bharalu and Bahini Rivers, is not a viable solution.
According to the report, "continuously running pumps to discharge household water is not a viable solution, as it incurs unnecessary expenses for fuel and manpower”.
The study identified several factors causing artificial flooding in Rukminigaon, including water flowing from the Dispur Supermarket and Dispur Secretariat areas, water from the Wireless area near Basisthapur Bylane 1 and 2, the Bahini River overflowing at the PIBCO point and Chinaki Path due to heavy inflows from Meghalaya, and the lack of a proper drainage system for surface runoff water.
