Guwahati Residents Struggle With Artificial Floods Caused by Heavy Rainfall

GUWAHATI: The ongoing heavy rainfall has caused extensive flooding in almost all parts of the city, bringing it back to square one in terms of artificial floods. The heavy downpour has caused an extensive flood situation, resulting in challenges faced by the people.

Residents of Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar are, as usual, the worst sufferers of these artificial floods, but areas like Basisthapur, Rukmininagar, Naamghor Path, Hatigaon, and some parts of Hengrabari have also submerged under water. This has caused major disruptions among its residents and affected their day-to-day lives. The slightest rain turns the city into a sea.

According to one of the residents of Rukmini Nagar, “This year’s situation is the same as last year. The authorities, whoever takes on the responsibility of working towards making the embankments or other works, never complete the work in time. These projects should start before the monsoon season and end by February. They start before the onset of the season and leave the work half done.”

Another said, “The garbage management is very poor, and this results in a more pathetic condition when all of the garbage floats during floods on the surfaces.”

GMC has spent almost Rs 9 crore on the desilting of more than 140 drains. Commenting on the desiltation of drains, one of the residents said that this desilting or heightening of drains is all just for namesake, as at the end nothing works.

According to one of the officials of GMC, “We do not have any master plan to complete our work before the monsoon. We are trying to make Guwahati a flood-free city, but this mission will take time.

One of the Hatigaon residents said, “During monsoons, it feels like we live underwater, and the current situation has worsened in the area. Water gets inside our shops and houses, and it becomes difficult to keep our belongings safe. Guwahati is called a ‘smart city’, but the city does not have any proper garbage management system or sewage system. It is better to reside in villages; at least they are not prone to floods.

Further, though the government is investing a lot for its development and working on its mission, it is not going as it should, which should be in a fast-pave mode.

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