STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Who is responsible for Guwahati's deteriorating civic conditions, the authorities or the citizens? As garbage piles up along roadsides, drains remain clogged and public spaces are misused, the city continues to struggle with basic civic discipline, with citizens and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) frequently blaming each other.
While residents accuse the civic body of irregular garbage collection and poor maintenance, the authorities often point to a lack of civic sense among people. Meanwhile, shopkeepers blame garbage collectors, and sanitation workers point towards residents who indiscriminately dump waste on roads and into drains. Amid this cycle of accusations, the city's civic problems remain unresolved.
Garbage dumping, plastic waste in water bodies, overflowing drains and indiscriminate parking have become familiar sights in several parts of Guwahati. Despite repeated cleanliness campaigns and civic awareness drives, these problems continue to affect everyday life.
The GMC undoubtedly has a responsibility to ensure regular garbage collection, maintain drainage systems and keep public spaces clean. Irregular waste collection, clogged drains and inadequate maintenance in several localities raise questions about the effectiveness of civic services. Waterlogging during heavy rainfall further exposes the city's persistent drainage problems.
However, irresponsible public behaviour also aggravates the situation. Household waste thrown into drains, plastic packets discarded on roads and commercial waste left outside shops undermine sanitation efforts. A drain cleaned in the morning can become a dumping ground by evening, highlighting the limitations of civic maintenance without public cooperation.
At the same time, inconsistent civic services can make responsible waste disposal difficult for residents. When collection schedules are unreliable and public infrastructure is inadequate, the burden of maintaining cleanliness becomes more challenging. This creates a cycle in which poor services encourage irresponsible practices, while public negligence makes the authorities' task harder.
The need of the hour is accountability on both sides. The GMC must ensure dependable waste collection, regular drain cleaning and fair enforcement of anti-littering rules. Citizens, in turn, must stop dumping waste indiscriminately, encroaching on footpaths and treating public spaces as private property.
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