DIBRUGARH: The Dibrugarh Town Protection (DTP) Drain, an important drainage system which flushed the rain water from the town spanning 9.5 km, has turned into a garbage dumping yard for citizens and business establishments, leading to clogged and encroachment issues.
It might be mentioned here, the drains were clogged due to dumping of plastics in many parts and due to that the water could not flow easily and it remains stagnant which causes pollution.
The DTO drain, which originates from Seujpur (zero point), passes through densely populated areas in the heart of Dibrugarh town before reaching the Sessa river, covering a total distance of 9.5 km. A significant portion of the drain, about 5.65 km, falls within Dibrugarh town, while the remaining 3.85 km is located on the outskirts.
According to Water Resources department, a staggering 1612.5 square feet of the drain has been encroached upon by various entities, including business establishments, individual households, and religious and educational institutions.
“Most of the encroachment have taken place within the town portion of the drain, specifically in the HS Road area. A private hospital in Paltanbazar has occupied a major section of the drain. The newly-formed Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation should take immediate steps to clear the encroachment,” said Ghanakanta Sharma, senior citizen of Dibrugarh.
He said, “Immediate steps should be taken to clear the drains because rainy season has been on the door and if it remains like this then waterlogging can happen.” Two months ago, the department concerned has deployed super sucker machines to clean the 9.5-km long DTP drain, which has been clogged.
“Before monsoon, once again the DMC should clean the drain by using the machine. The other linking drains are also clogged and has become a breading ground for mosquitos,” another resident told The Sentinel.
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