Guwahati: With the risk of landslides and flooding on the Assam-Meghalaya border on the rise, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has warned of the possible impact of unregulated development in Jorabat-USTM region of Meghalaya on Guwahati.
On Friday, a Supreme Court committee has already considered the matter and had submitted a report, which Sarma called a "very devastating report", that showed the environment risks of the continued construction in the area.
The committee found that any development in and around Jorabat, especially around University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), could have a huge pose a great threat to Guwahati by bringing more rainwater into the city, the Chief Minister said.
Sarma requested the Meghalaya Government to take into account the effect of development on the neighbouring Assam and to put on check the construction activities in the area. He warned that if unchecked development continues, Guwahati could become increasingly difficult to protect from flooding, as no drainage system would be capable of handling the volume of water flowing downhill.
The Chief Minister also said he has been in regular contact with his Meghalaya counterpart, Conrad K. Sangma, adding that the matter remains pending before the Supreme Court and is expected to come up for hearing soon.