GUWAHATI, June 18 - Encountering the season�s first deluge that turned out to be a traumatic one for the entire Guwahati, the people of the severely hit Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar areas demand a well-chalked out mechanism to minimise the damage caused by water-logging.
The residents of both the low-lying areas that remain in focus due to artificial floods feel that sufficient steps are still not being taken for solving the problem.
�We often hear about the measures being taken for Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar for controlling the flash floods. The pumping machines pressed into action after floods and the rescue boats floated on the water-logged passage often give this impression that the areas are getting adequate attention of the authorities. On the contrary, the sufferings of the people are increasing day by day,� Mrinal Das, a local of Anil Nagar, said.
Particularly expressing their objection regarding the relief work carried out during the water-logging, many residents said that the relief did not reach to maximum number of affected people.
�To get the relief, people must know that it is being distributed. The rubber boats came without any announcement or signal to distribute relief, which, anyway, was too meagre for the marooned families. Some families got a one-litre packaged drinking water bottle and a packet of biscuits in the name of relief,� another resident of Tribeni Path added.
According to Dwip Baruah, a prominent resident of the area, there are several technical faults in the flood control approach adopted by the authorities concerned.
�The drain cleaning and de-siltation carried out is nowhere related to controlling artificial floods in the area. Even after cleaning the Bharalu, the filth was not removed from the site on the plea that the existing guard wall of the water exit channel will collapse,� Baruah said.
�We have also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding this problem and subsequently some intervention was done. However, the basic problem of heavy flow of water from the Chandmari side remains unaddressed. Run-off from the Meghalaya hill is another major problem for the entire Guwahati,� he pointed out.
Further adding that the residents of the localities were disheartened at the quick-fix measures taken in the area, he added that scientific mechanism must be adopted after conducting a proper study in the area.
