Guwahati Floods Caused By Water From Meghalaya: Assam Minister Ashok Singhal

GUWAHATI: State Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Irrigation, Ashok Singhal, has attributed the severe flooding in Guwahati to water flowing in from the neighbouring state of Meghalaya.

Speaking to the media, the minister claimed that 50 percent of the floodwater originated from Meghalaya, citing the reddish colour of the water in Guwahati's drains as evidence.

Singhal stated, "The water is from Meghalaya since it's red, and not from Guwahati since it's not black." He also mentioned that the cutting down of hills in Meghalaya has exacerbated the problem. The Minister emphasized the need to divert water from Meghalaya to prevent future flooding in Guwahati, with plans to channel it to Silsako and Deepor Beel.

His comments comes in the aftermath of heavy rains which wreaked hovoc in Guwahati on Monday, causing waterlogging in various areas and inconvenience to commuters and schoolchildren.

Water was said to have accumulated on practically all of the city's outlying roadways, leaving residents trapped in their vehicles for hours amid heavy traffic.

People returning from work, schoolchildren and even ambulances were allegedly stuck until late in the evening owing to overcrowded roadways.

Overflowing sewage water entered homes in several areas of the city, causing property damage and unsanitary conditions.

The Kamrup Metropolitan Administration, which predominantly governs Guwahati, has ordered the closure of all educational institutions on Tuesday due to bad weather.

Stormwater rushed down from the mountains into the plains, causing drains to overflow and drowning the area.

The rain also inundated the Jorabat area, which connects Guwahati to upper Assam and the neighbouring state of Meghalaya, putting commuters and cars in a difficult situation.

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