GUWAHATI, Aug 10 - A Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD)-sponsored project to control the flash-flood problem at Geetanagar, RG Baruah Road, Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar areas is nearing completion. The project is being implemented under the guidance of the MoUD-sponsored Centre of Excellence (CoE), headed by Prof Arup Kumar Sarma of IIT Guwahati.
Prof Sarma is the Principal Investigator for the CoE�s �Integrated Land use Planning and Water Resource Management (ILPWRM).�
The CoE has prepared a conceptual Detailed Project Report (DPR) for implementing a pilot project for demonstrating the scope of mitigating water-related hazard of Guwahati city using Ecological Management Practices (EMP) in the hilly watersheds.
Prof Sarma, who is also the BP Chaliha Chair Professor of IIT Guwahati, explained the concept of watershed management through EMP and the benefit to be gained in flood moderation of Guwahati city to the senior State Government officials, including Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar Bora, who is looking after the Soil Conservation Department of the State.
The Additional Chief Secretary decided to implement the CoE�s concept in a hill of Guwahati and selected Geetanagar watershed in the first phase. Accordingly, the Soil Conservation Department requested technical guidance of Prof Sarma to implement the project.
The rainwater from the Geetanagar watershed flows to the main drain at Mother Teresa Road and carries lots of sediment and accumulates them in various stages blocking the primary and the secondary drains. This results in flash flood in vast areas, drainage systems of which are connected with these drains.
Degradation of the Geetanagar watershed has led to problems of soil erosion, which ultimately results in drainage congestion, water-logging, landslide, water pollution and flooding also of the arterial RG Baruah Road and the Mother Teresa Road throwing the entire road transport system of the city out of gear for several hours during the rainy days. It also adversely impacts the environment of the Geetanagar, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar and other areas.
PK Sarma, Filed Expert under BP Chaliha Chair Professor, who guided the survey team of the Soil Conservation Department in the field, told this newspaper that completion of this project would help reducing flash flood in Geetanagar areas, Mother Teresa Road areas, RG Baruah Road localities and Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar areas.
