Urban flash floods
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned and the public to the increasing problems of flash floods in Guwahati. Today, a heavy downpour leads to triggering immediate anxiety rather than heat relief. Within half an hour of rainfall, major stretches in Guwahati turn into dangerous, waterlogged rivers, bringing the entire city to a standstill.
Guwahati’s topography puts it at a natural disadvantage because when the Brahmaputra River swells, gravity-based drainage stops completely. However, the true culprit behind our regular flash floods is how we have managed our urban growth. We paved over the earth choking our natural wetlands and then turned our vital waterways into garbage dumps. To prevent these flash floods from causing harm and disrupting our economy every rainy day, we must shift from temporary and reactionary solutions to a well-structured and permanent plan.
First of all, let us highlight the large amounts of water and sediment generated by the neighbouring mountains. Large volumes of mud and sediments slide downhill and immediately block the drains of our town. Construction of effective concrete check dams and silt traps at the base of the mountains would help in separating mud and stones from the water before entering our city network. To alleviate the problems of the amount of stormwater our surface drains cannot manage under the pressure, the city needs to install underground concrete retention basins below the open public spaces or government lands. Those basins would temporarily collect water, allowing for later pumping into the Brahmaputra River once it returns to normal levels.
Furthermore, we must restore our natural ecosystems to let the city breathe again. The Bharalu, Bahini, and Basistha rivers, which act as the primary veins of Guwahati's drainage, require regular and proper cleanouts to deepen these riverbeds so they can hold more water. In addition to these efforts, wetlands like Deepor Beel, Silsako Beel and Borsola Beel need to be protected as important natural areas of the city. There should be strict enforcement measures taken against illegal activities like encroachment in these wetlands, along with taking further steps to improve their water-retaining capacity by deepening them through machines.
Lastly, long-term prevention calls for a major reconstruction of civic infrastructure and public responsibility, since local authorities must enforce rain harvesting from rooftops of multi-storey buildings, shops, and new residential complexes to stop rainwater from flooding streets suddenly. Furthermore, solid concrete pavements and courtyard tiles must be replaced with porous and permeable interlocking blocks which enable water to infiltrate the ground easily. Moreover, no drainage system is ever going to work properly if it is full of plastic bottles, polythene bags, and domestic waste. Therefore, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation must punish residents and business owners heavily for considering open drains as rubbish bins and ensure daily garbage collection in all localities.
Guwahati cannot continue to suffer through this exhausting cycle each rainy season. We need a combination of strict political will, scientific engineering, and a genuine shift towards civic responsibility from all citizens to resolve this issue. It is time to act before our city completely sinks under the weight of its neglect.
A Concerned Citizen,
Guwahati, Assam.
What next?
What began as a movement against the alleged NEET paper leak by the CJP has culminated in the resignation of the union education minister. But the question here is what next? Is this the end of the students' anger, or does the outcome qualify them for further dissent? Or taking issues to the street will become a regular pattern to yield demands. These are the things that unsettle the future of the nation. Because when inorganic support becomes the determinant of a dissent's success, it brings instability and disruption in the long run. When remonstration becomes a paraphernalia of coercion, it leads to anarchism. Achievements through chaos can gain visibility and selective approvals, but they do not guarantee organisational sustainability and strength. The Cockroach Janata Party, which began as a satirical online movement, has morphed into a student outfit within a short time. And Abhijit Dipke, the founder of CJP, whom nobody knew until yesterday, has become the new face of leadership for the youths today. Though he couldn't rise through the party ranks while working as a volunteer with the social media team of AAP previously, the recent paper leak protest has brought him a reputation which others would have taken years to build. And it would not be an exaggeration to say that his achievements can reinforce the formation of other similar outfits in the country. If this happens, there is every chance of youths falling prey to the agenda of opportunists in the future. Since the nation is full of demagogues masquerading as genuine leaders, who could deftly mislead any peaceful movement and shape it into an insurrection. Moreover, this CJP-led movement is a dead ringer of the movement led by Anna Hazare a decade ago in the same Delhi, which laid the foundation of Arvind Kejriwal's political career. So, one should not be shocked if the leaders of this student movement wear khadi and join mainstream politics tomorrow. This has happened earlier; this can happen in the future. The nation has witnessed how the prosceniums of remonstrations have been used for the fulfilment of personal goals and grabbing chairs of power.
The grievances of the students were real, but the amplification of the CJP movement cannot be attributed to leadership brilliance alone. It is the digital speed and outreach that united the scattered voices and turned them into a massive outcry to a large extent, exposing how memes, reels and Facebook posts can be used as a decisive tool for building narratives within a short time. Indubitably, today Gen Z has become the new face of power within the nations. But this young force will have to understand that the genius of seeking accountability lies in making reforms, not in removing ministerial think tanks. It is among the students who bought the leaked papers, paying huge amounts. Unless a culture of honesty develops among them, no matter how many ministers resign, papers will keep on leaking through the cracks one way or the other.
Kabir Ahmed Saikia
Rajabari, Jorhat
Peaceful solution on CJP stir
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to express my views on the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest. Peaceful protests are an important part of a democratic society because they allow citizens to voice their opinions and concerns. At the same time, it is essential that all demonstrations remain peaceful and that both the protesters and the authorities act responsibly. Any public protest should respect the law, avoid violence, and ensure that normal life is disrupted as little as possible. Constructive dialogue between the parties concerned is the best way to resolve disagreements and address public issues.
I hope the authorities will listen to the concerns raised and work towards a fair and peaceful solution in everyone's interest.
Jubel D'Cruz,
(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)