Assam: USTM Adopts Silsako Beel Eviction Victim And Family

GUWAHATI: A young boy who recently gained popularity on social media for his sweet yet touching request to the authorities gathering at Silsako Beel, Guwahati, during the eviction process, now has a new address.

Mahbubul Hoque, the chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), adopted the child and his family, who had been impacted by the recent eviction at Silsako Beel in Guwahati.

Mahbubul Hoque has now taken care of the young child whose simple request for the authorities to hold off while he and his family cleared the area went viral.

On March 6, the 7year old, and his entire family visited USTM at the invitation of the university chancellor.

The family and the young kid were welcomed by the university chancellor, who also presented them with a Gamocha and Rs 10,000 as emergency assistance.

The 7-year-old and his 4-year-old brother's education responsibility was also taken by the chancellor and the USTM campus offered jobs to both parents. The delighted family was ecstatic about the possibility and will start working at USTM soon.

The Assam government on Wednesday announced that it would wage a vigorous campaign against encroachments at the natural water body to protect Guwahati from the onslaught of artificial floods, which are currently being carried out by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) at Silsako Beel, a protected wetland in the city.

A significant reservoir for stormwater runoff from the city is Silsako Beel.

In 2008, the state government recognised Silsako as a protected waterbody, outlawing settlement and construction inside the 1000-bigha designated area.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while interacting with the reporters, mentioned that encroachments—building structures or forming human settlements—in the protected region would have occurred between 2009 and 2015 based on satellite imagery.

The satellite photos demonstrate that the marsh area was free of such encroachments before 2009.

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