GUWAHATI, Nov 4 � Criticized for taking up desiltation drives in Guwahati just ahead of the monsoons, the State government is taking a lesson from the past. With a three-years� desiltation project worth Rs 42 crore, work would start on more than 2,000 drains of Guwahati from November this year, under one authority.
The performance-based three-year contract project would be taken up under the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and executed by private parties. The entire city has been divided into 30 packages for carrying out the cleaning and desiltation of all the drains of Guwahati excluding the five major water channels.
The tendering process for selecting the private parties to carry out the desiltation has been initiated by the GMC. Being a performance-based contract, the progress of the project would be evaluated periodically, and penalties would be imposed on the private parties, if they fail to deliver.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, GMC Commissioner S Viswanathan said that the project has been designed keeping in mind all the flaws and road blocks faced during previous desiltation drives.
�The project would start from November this year, where all the cemented and kachha drains would be dug up to the bed level. Payments would be made to the private parties as per the silt removed. Silt level of every drain would again be measured by March 31, 2015 and the private party would have to maintain the same silt level up to October 31, 2017,� added the GMC Commissioner.
Steps have also been taken to do away with the lack of co-ordination among various departments and government agencies in the desiltation project. It may be noted that all the drains of the city belonging to the PWD, Water Resource Department and the GMC have been incorporated into this project and the GMC would supervise the entire work.
Apart from five major natural water channels, Bharalu, Mora Bharalu, Basistha, Bahini and Bonda-Silsako, all other drains would come under this scheme.
�More than 2,000 big and small drains of Guwahati are maintained by various departments. However, from now on, the Corporation would have all the responsibility of keeping the drains silt-free. Liquidated damage or penalty for not doing the work as per set parameter would be imposed on the basis of weekly performance,� said MMIM Borah, Chief Engineer of the GMC.
�Once the value of the liquidated damage reaches 10 per cent of the total value of the project in that specific area, the contract would be terminated with that party and given to the second lowest bidder,� added Borah.
The work would be monitored under a four-tier inspection process, where ward committees, magistrates deputed by the DC, NGOs engaged by the district administration and officials of the GMC would inspect the progress of the project.
