File Image: Debabrata Saikia
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, sent a letter to the Assam Chief Secretary, Dr. Ravi Kota, in connection with the construction of the Noonmati-Dighalipukhuri flyover. Saikia sent this letter to the Chief Secretary close on the heels of sending an application to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in this regard.
The CLP leader sent the letter to the Chief Secretary as the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) eastern zone bench; in its order issued on February 8, 2023, in the Himangshu Nath versus Central Pollution Control Board, Assam government, and GMC, formed a committee with the Chief Secretary as the chairman. The committee was to find a solution to pollution, traffic snarls, etc., in Guwahati. Saikia wants to make it known to the Chief Secretary that an elevated corridor cannot be a solution to the problem of traffic snarls in Guwahati.
In his letter, Saikia raised a few demands: (i) Stopping the construction of the flyover until the Assam Government provides a comprehensive plan to address the project's effects on air pollution, dust control, noise pollution, water drainage, and traffic congestion, (ii) to establish a traffic and environmental management plan that minimizes the impact on the environment and local population by limiting dust emissions, controlling waterlogging, and reducing noise pollution, (iii) to appoint a committee of environmental experts to evaluate the project's present environmental effects and offer suggestions for future environmentally friendly building techniques that the government should follow, (iv) to give adequate compensation and alternative means of livelihoods to the vendors, and others who will lose their jobs while this flyover is being built, (v) to develop a comprehensive traffic management plan that guarantees the safe and efficient flow of vehicles and pedestrians through the impacted regions, with the public being given clear alternative routes and schedules, (vi) to ensure that the project conforms to all applicable local environmental protection regulations and that sufficient reforestation and greening efforts are carried out to replace any trees that have been already pulled down for the construction of this flyover, (vii) to preserve the heritage sites in and around the Noonmati to Dighaliphuri route and to refrain from removing any trees in order to build this flyover.
Also read: Guwahati’s Dighalipukhuri Trees Spared As Flyover Project Plans Revised Amid Protests
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