GUWAHATI, Oct 27 � A meeting held between the representatives of the Meghalaya government and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) at Shillong recently, was of the opinion that strong policy and legislation have to be formulated and adopted by both Assam and Meghalaya to check activities, like mining, quarrying, etc. for the purpose of checking flash flood.
However, for the smooth and effective implementation of the programmes, there should be an atmosphere of peace and cordial relationship among the people of both the States living in the inter-State border areas, the meeting observed.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, who mooted the above points, also requested the departments concerned of both the States to carry out study of the Basistha-Bahini river system to find out the appropriate steps to check the problem of flash flood connected with the river system once for all.
The Deputy Chief Minister of the neighbouring State, who is also in-charge of the Water Resources Department, Soil and Water Conservation Department, etc, suggested that the Soil and Water Conservation Department of Meghalaya may propose schemes like afforestation, vegetative cover, restoration or plantation, contour binding, construction of check dams or silt detention dams and silt trapping structures, etc.
The Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Meghalaya suggested steps to explore the possibility of formulating minor irrigation projects in the upper catchment areas and utilizing those rivers flowing towards Guwahati and thus diverting their monsoon flow and relieving the city from sediment deposits caused by flash floods etc.
The Director of Soil and Water Conservation Department, Meghalaya maintained that the major causes of the flash flood are � encroachment on the river banks, which is causing shrinkage of the waterways and haphazard throwing of garbages into rivers, streams, water bodies, etc.
Earlier, addressing the meeting, GMDA Chairman Captain Robin Bordoloi explained in detail how the anthropogenic activities in the upper reaches of rivers and rivulets in Meghalaya, like denudation of the hills, stone quarrying, etc, have been subjecting Guwahati to flash flood.
Such activities in Meghalaya in the neighbourhood of Guwahati, have also been leading to siltation on the beds of the rivers, rivulets and streams flowing to the city from the neighbouring State and wetlands connecting with these water bodies, he said.
He pleaded for preventive measures to conserve soil in the Meghalaya hills to arrest flow of silt, etc. to Guwahati.
Bordoloi was accompanied by GMDA consultant RM Das.
