Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has issued a notification constituting a district-level committee for preservation and conservation of water bodies under the Assam Urban Water Bodies (Preservation and Conservation) Rules, 2025. The move follows the directive of the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA), Government of Assam.
The committee will be responsible for preparing and updating a detailed schedule of water bodies located within the master plan areas of the GMDA. The committee will function with planning, monitoring, and overseeing the conservation and protection of water bodies across the region.
The committee comprises GMDA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as the chairman and 27 others as members from various municipal boards, line departments, and Panchayat bodies. Prominent members include the mayor of Guwahati (public representative), the GMDA chairman, chairpersons of municipal boards (e.g., North Guwahati, Palasbari), divisional and circle officers from multiple locations (Guwahati, Dispur, Azara, Hajo, Palasbari, North Guwahati, and Chandrapur), representatives from IIT Guwahati and the Tourism Department, and secretaries of various gaon panchayats.
The functions of the district-level committee will be the preparation of a draft schedule of water bodies within the master plan area under the jurisdiction of GMDA.
(ii) In preparing the draft schedule, the district-level committee will follow (a) the guidelines or SOP issued from DoHUA from time to time.
(b) In order to identify the water bodies, use the consolidated map and database for the Guwahati Master Plan Area prepared by GMDA based on the available resources like master plan data, the Bhuvan Geo Platform developed by ISRO, the Water Body Census Report published by the Ministry of Jalashakti, Government of India, and data from the Revenue Department, Government of Assam.
© Consult all the relevant district-level offices, including the circle office, the district forest office, and other local authorities concerned and stakeholders in finalising the draft schedule.
(iii) Examine the fund availability with different line departments and prepare a budget for every financial year for the preservation and conservation of water bodies.
(iv) Prepare and execute a plan for the protection, preservation, and development of the water bodies with approval from the state-level committee.
(v) Ensure no construction zone within a buffer around the water bodies as prescribed in the Notified Master Plan of Guwahati Metropolitan Area and Assam Unified Building Construction (Regulation) Bye Law, 2022 (as amended).
(vi) Update the district-level data on water bodies on the state web portal on water bodies on a regular basis. District-level committee formed for water bodies under GMDA jurisdiction.
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