GUWAHATI, May 31 � The Government of Assam is negotiating a 200 million US Dollar loan with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for taking up a series of development schemes including water supply and sewerage in the eastern part of Guwahati city and drainage and solid waste management schemes in Dibrugarh town.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Commissioner in charge of Guwahati Development Department (GDD), AK Bhutani said that the loan is likely to be granted by August or September this year and the Government is planning to start implementing the projects from the first part of next year. He said that the projects are scheduled to be completed in five years.
The schemes in Guwahati will be implemented by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and those will include water supply and sewerage in the eastern part of Guwahati city, mainly the east of RG Baruah road. Bhutani pointed out that though the Government has taken up water supply schemes in other parts of the city, the eastern part was not covered and the areas sought to be covered under the scheme include Noonmati, Narengi, Geetanagar, Khanapara, Beltola, Basistha etc.
The required water for the water supply scheme will be drawn from the Brahmaputra and a water treatment plant will be set up in the Sunsali area on the banks of the river. At least seven to eight reservoirs will be constructed on elevated areas including the hillocks so that the advantage of the natural elevation can be utilized to ensure free flow of water to the households. The sewerage scheme for the eastern part of Guwahati has also become very essential and it is expected that completion of the project will reduce the waterlogging problem to a great extent.
The drainage and solid waste management schemes of Dibrugarh town, which will be parts of the ADB scheme, are also scheduled to be completed in five years and municipal bodies are likely to be entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the schemes.
Bhutani said even if the loan is sanctioned in August or September, completion of the formalities including floating of tenders would take some time and that is why the Government is planning to start implementing the projects from the first part of next year.
