Fraudulent de-siltation by Guwahati Municipal Corporation worsens waterlogging

GUWAHATI: The menace of waterlogging in Guwahati has come to such a pass due to fraudulent spending of funds in the name of de-siltation and cleaning of rivers in the Metropolitan by the GMC (Guwahati Municipal Corporation) for years in the past.

The report of the CAG has revealed that the civic body fraudulently spent money on hiring dumpers and excavators, whose registrations show them as three-wheelers. According to the CAG report, during 2016-17, the GMC showed an expenditure of over Rs 1 crore in the name of de-silting and cleaning the Bharalu River. The GMC submitted documents claiming to have used 21 dumpers, one excavator, and four poclain machines for the de-silting works. During verification of the documents, the CAG found that the registration numbers of the dumpers and the excavator were actually motorcycles, three-wheelers, private cars, buses, etc.

The CAG report of 2023 also said that the de-silting works had been done by GMC without preparing any estimate, obtaining administrative approval and technical sanction, or maintaining any measurement of the work done. In the absence of these vital records, the necessity and authority to undertake the work, the quantum of work to be done, and the quantity actually executed remained unassessed and undisclosed. Because of the non-availability of the required supporting documents, the expenditure of Rs 45.75 lakh was suspected to be fraudulent.

The GMC has all along been doing such casual works for the de-siltation of the city rivers: Bharalu, Basistha, and Bahini, besides the drains, which cost huge amounts every year. The quality of their work is such that a spell of rain is enough to cause an overflow of water from the drains.

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