Natural solutions for artificial floods in Guwahati

Every heavy downpour in Guwahati leaves several localities and busy roads submerged in artificial floods. Denuding of the hills has precipitated the problem of silt deposits in city drains and aggravated the problem of artificial floods. The problem is no longer confined to city jurisdiction, as rampant earth cutting in adjacent Meghalaya hills has led to a worsening of the situation. Removal of debri and red soil from clogged drains after heavy rain or storms is fast becoming an arduous task for workers engaged in the de-siltation of drains. The fund requirement for the deployment of adequate men and machinery is also rising for Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). Guwahati cannot be free from artificial flooding without putting a halt to earth cutting in the hills within the city and in the hills on the city outskirts along the inter-state boundaries with Meghalaya. The solutions to the persistent problem that have so far been prioritised are the construction of stormwater drains and the periodic desilting of drains. These solutions have become sustainable as more and more hill patches are getting denuded with the rise in migrant populations in the city. Ironically, even the construction of storm water drainage systems has been a never-ending project, with the GMC, or Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority, undertaking fresh projects of drain construction to replace the old drainage network. In the absence of strict monitoring and evaluation, quality is often compromised in the construction work, which makes the drainage system ineffective. Enforcement of the prohibition on hill cutting will have deterrent action only when alternative housing solutions are available. The city planning process needs to address the root cause behind the rise in settlements on the hills. The rapid growth of the city has led to the establishment of hospitals and nursing homes, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, etc., which has also triggered demand for service sector workers. These service sector workers migrate from different rural or semi-urban areas to the city but cannot afford to take houses or accommodations on rent in the city plains. They look for low-cost accommodation that leads them to either take such accommodation on rent or encroach on the hills. Initially, the trees are felled to clear a path for the construction of a low-cost bamboo hut. As savings grow, the gradual expansion of occupied land results in the clearing of the tree cover on wider patches. With the district authorities and forest department turning a blind eye, the illegal settlers are emboldened to convert their temporary housing into concrete houses. They also start cutting the hill slopes to facilitate the transportation of construction materials and for their own use. Their ignorance about hillside cutting and denuding of the hills increases landslide susceptibility in their area, and topsoil erosion aggravates the situation. Ironically, the number of such illegal settlements has grown, but the problem gets noticed only when debri and soil are carried by rainwater to the drains along the hill slopes and finally get deposited on the drains in the plains. The administrative initiatives aimed at addressing the problem are limited to issuing warnings against illegal earth cutting and cautioning residents against landslide-prone areas. Low-cost housing solutions in the plains can stem from the from the encroachment of hills by a section of service sector workers. The city authorities can explore making it mandatory for shopping malls, private hospitals, and restaurant owners to include accommodation solutions for their workers in the city plains in their investment proposals. Low-cost housing in private-public partnership mode by investors opening shopping malls, hospitals, hotels, etc. in city areas can also help provide solutions to the housing needs of service sector workers. The cost of funding such projects, with the rising recurring cost of replacing the clogged drainage system with new storm water drainage, will help the authorities weigh the options. The rise in frequency of extreme weather events like heavy rains or storms due to climate change impact has only added to the cost of desilting drains and waterbodies. Preventing further settlement on the hills also requires regular patrolling of areas under illegal settlement as well as areas still covered with greenery. The city police adding a hill patrol unit to the line of the river patrol unit can go a long way in keeping a hawk vigil against any new encroachment. Undertaking a baseline survey of the population on the hills will help the authorities identify their places of work and plan alternative, affordable accommodations. Simultaneous afforestation drives after the shifting of illegal settlers to alternative accommodation in the plains will ensure the restoration of hill ecology and reduce the siltation load on the drainage system in the city plains. As the service sector of the city cannot run without a workforce, creating low-cost accommodations away from the hills should be at the top of the list. A sustainable natural solution to Guwahati’s artificial inundation problem is the urgent need of the hour.