GUWAHATI, May 21 � Several women organizations including Abhijatri and Pubali Sangha on Friday came out to stage a road blockade to protest against the indifference of the authorities concerned towards the civic problems.
The organizations, demonstrating in front of the Doordarshan Kendra here for about two hours, slammed the government for the artificial flood and inadequate management of solid waste which have been the two major problems plaguing the capital city and throwing life out of gear at a slight downpour.
�Despite implementation of several hurriedly prepared schemes from 1999 including the Rs 96.80-crore Guwahati Metropolitan Area Storm Drainage Programme and the Rs 5.83-crore flood wall scheme along either side of the Bharalu between Jonali and Bhangargarh bridge, there has been no relief from the artificial flooding,� said Abhijatri adding that the flood level and duration of waterlogging in Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Lachit Nagar etc have been increasing over the years.
Abhijatri also criticized the solid waste management in the city, pointing out that despite the government handing over garbage collection to Ramky group and paying a hefty sum, the city is littered with rotten garbage. �The artificial flood and rotten garbage have turned Guwahati into a slum city, unfit for human habitation,� rued Abhijatri alleging that faulty agreement with Ramky and lack of supervision on the part of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) are the main causes behind the poor waste management.
The agitating organizations have demanded developing the Bharalu river as per the specifications of the Drainage Master Plan 1971 and construction of a drain along the southern side of NH-37 for the run-off water from Meghalaya hills to flow directly into the river Brahmaputra.
Besides, the organizations have also demanded reclaiming low-lying areas around Jatikuchi/Odalbakra and Deepor Beel to enable Mora Bharalu to perform its role of holding excess Bharalu water when the Brahmaputra crosses the danger mark and the Bharalu sluice gate remains closed.
The other demands include increasing discharge capacity of Bharalu sluice gate by strengthening pumpsets, enforcing strict law to stop cutting of hills, preserving wet lands from encroachment, execution of soil conservation schemes to stop loose earth flowing down from the hills and removing the defects in Noonmati tunnel and reactivating it to drain out stormwater.
