GUWAHATI, Sept 22 - Proving yet again the inefficiency of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) in maintaining a scientific drainage system in the city, a shower that continued for several hours again inundated many areas of Guwahati on Tuesday. The rain started from the wee hours of the day and lasted till the evening. As per the information availed from the control room of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the rain caused artificial floods at Dispur, Khanapara, Panjabari, Satgaon, Eighth Mile, Kahikuchi, Hatigaon, VIP, Rukmini Nagar, Last Gate, Odalbakra, Wireless, Kalapahar and Chandmari areas of the city.
Moreover, on the city outskirts, Jorabat and Boragaon areas witnessed waterlogging. A GMC official said the severe encroachment that has taken place at Silsako Beel and the lack of adequate number of water pumps to pump out excess water from Bondajan to the Brahmaputra are the reasons behind the situation.
At present, two water pumps are working at the sluice gate located between Bondajan and the Brahmaputra. The official stated that in order to avoid such a situation in the coming days, there is a need to install at least four such pumps at this sluice gate, for which official works are under way.
Moreover, to eliminate encroachment from Silsako Beel, the GMC has already submitted a proposal to the Kamrup Metro district administration to carry out an eviction drive, he added.
Notably, two years ago, the GMC had undertaken a three-year project to carry out continuous desiltation drives in the city�s drains. Under the project, the Corporation has spent around Rs 19 crore each in the past two years. But, today, several residents alleged that improper desiltation is solely responsible for the recurrence of artificial floods.
The State government has also undertaken several measures under the Mission Flood Free Guwahati to mitigate the intensity of artificial floods. The various schemes include cleaning and desiltation of the Pamohi water channel, Borsola Beel, Silsako Beel, Bondajan Beel, Deepor Beel and the NBCC drain.
Meanwhile, many government officials admitted that the ongoing pandemic has hugely affected the progress of these projects, due to which many areas of Guwahati have been witnessing severe waterlogging in recent times. Sources at the Water Resources department said this year, due to the pandemic, only Bondajan Beel could be brought under the cleaning and desiltation drive.
Following the waterlogging, many roads witnessed massive traffic congestion, as has always been the case. The continuous downpour also wreaked havoc in some areas as the rainwater gushed into the houses of a number of residents.
Interestingly, Guwahati Development Department Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, while replying to a Facebook post today, revealed that the PWD has closed a drain and this led to waterlogging on the city�s MRD Road.
