Artificial floods in city: Rs 193 crore spent, yet solution nowhere near

GUWAHATI, Oct 14: A sum of over Rs 193 crore – was spent in the past four fiscals from 2014-15 to 2017-18 to mitigate artificial floods in Guwahati, yet solution to the problem is nowhere near. For the same purpose over Rs 147 core has been allocated for fiscal 2018-19.

The Guwahati Development Department (GDD) engages four departments/agencies for the mitigation of artificial floods in Guwahati. The departments are GMC, GMDA, PWD (Road) and Water Resources (Technical). The four departments get funds for such schemes through the GDD.

According to a GDD official, in order to solve the problem of artificial floods in Guwahati the department spent Rs 19305.88 lakh from fiscal 2014-15 to 2017-18. While Rs 2088.30 lakh was spent in 2014-15, Rs 4224.30 lakh was spent in 2015-16, Rs 8256.32 lakh in 2016-17 and Rs 4736.96 lakh in 2017-18. While PWD (Road) spent Rs 4607.12 lakh, Water Resource (Technical) spent Rs 1965.16 lakh, GMDA spent Rs 6710.66 lakh and GMC spent Rs 6022.94 lakh during the past four financial years.

The amount was spent on digging and cleaning drains, dredging rivers like Bharalu, Morabharalu, Bahini, Bashistha and Bondajan, and dredging water bodies like Silsaku Beel, Deepor Beel, Pamohi, Borsola, etc. This apart, pumping stations and pumps were installed in rivers and low-lying areas to pump out water. According to the official, the department has allocated a whopping Rs 14765.24 lakh for the mitigation of artificial floods in the city for fiscal 2018-19. While Rs 8572.47 lakh of the amount has gone to PWD (Road), Water Resource has got Rs 374.42 lakh, GMDA has got Rs 1318.35 lakh and the GMC has got Rs 4500 lakh. Many schemes taken up with these funds are going on.

It is a fact that even after spending over Rs 193 crore in the past four years, the problem of water-logging in the city is far from being solved.

Even as the department claims to have solved the problems to a great extent, the reality remains that fresh areas are inundated by rainwater in the city now. The areas that come under artificial floods in the city almost every year are Ambari, Chandmari, Ulubari (B Barooah Road), Gandhibasti, Lakhtakia, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Zoo Road, MRD Road, Mother Teresa and part of VIP Road, Khanapara, Narengi, Hatigaon, Bhetapara, Last Gate, stretches of GS Road, Six Mile, Bhootnath, Maligaon, Kalipur, Gotanagar, Sarba Choudhury, Tetelia, Raghunath Choudhury Path, Dhirenpara, Tokobari, Sarusasajay (Hockey Stadium), RG Baruah Road, Fatasil Ambari, Bhangagarh, Datalpara, Kahilipara, Jorabat, Beltola Road etc.

The department has not been able to find a solution to the water that comes from the Meghalaya side.