sentinelgroup@gmail.com
When development drowns a city
Before the clouds burst, cities are often flooded first by poor planning. The recent flash flood that submerged Jorhat town and its adjoining areas was not merely the result of heavy rainfall but a clear example of how unplanned development can turn a natural event into a man-made disaster. It is alarming that, for the first time in recent memory, many localities remained waterlogged for hours, disrupting normal life.
Assam has no shortage of experienced engineers, planners and technical experts. The real challenge lies in translating technical knowledge into well-executed projects. Roads are often constructed or widened without adequate drainage studies, natural water channels are encroached upon, wetlands are filled up and drains are left clogged with silt and plastic waste. Such short-sighted development inevitably backfires, exacerbating the problem.
The authorities must draw up a scientific urban drainage master plan, restore wetlands, desilt drains before every monsoon, enforce building regulations and make rainwater harvesting mandatory wherever feasible. Citizens must also contribute by ensuring that drains are kept clear of garbage and that natural watercourses are protected. If we continue to sweep these issues under the carpet, artificial floods will become the new normal. It is time to get our house in order before every downpour brings the city to its knees.
Dipen Gogoi,
Teok, Jorhat
Need for flood shelters
Floods have become a part of life for many people in Assam. Every year, thousands of families are forced to leave their homes because of rising floodwaters. They take shelter in schools, roadsides, embankments, or temporary relief camps, where basic facilities are often inadequate. This difficult situation shows the need for a long-term solution instead of temporary arrangements every year.
The Assam government should consider building at least one permanent flood shelter camp in every flood-prone village. The size of each shelter should be planned according to the village population so that it can accommodate everyone during emergencies. These shelters should provide clean drinking water, toilets, bathrooms, cooking space, electricity, first-aid facilities, and separate areas for women, children, elderly people, and persons with disabilities.
The care and management of these shelters may be entrusted to the village head or village committee under the guidance of the district administration. This will help ensure proper maintenance and quick access whenever floods occur.
A permanent flood shelter is not just a building; it is a promise of safety, dignity, and hope. Such an initiative can greatly reduce the suffering of flood-affected families and help Assam become better prepared for future floods.
Dipankar Gogoi
Gauhati University
Flood assessment
beyond relief camps
Assam presents a paradox: while some regions face drought, others are devastated by floods. The extensive flooding across Nazira, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat cannot be attributed to rainfall alone. Saturated catchments; swollen tributaries contributing to high Brahmaputra levels; indiscriminate hill cutting in Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for illegal coal extraction; embankment vulnerabilities; riverbed sand mining; non-maintenance of embankments and poor drainage together point to a failure of flood management rather than a purely natural disaster. IMD dismissed the claims of cloudburst points correctly.With over 40 lives lost, many are reportedly missing, and even the NDRF and SDRF teams are struggling to reach marooned villages; the floods bear the characteristics of a sudden flash flood that left no opportunity for evacuation. Reports of stranded families, including women and children taking refuge on trees without food, expose serious lapses in emergency response. Every MLA must be held accountable for ensuring uninterrupted food supplies and timely relief to affected people.Relief alone cannot replace accountability. A significant question arises: Why did the state administration ignore the need for ecological protection? The disaster has also disrupted education, with many Class X and XII students losing textbooks and study materials. The Education Department should immediately provide academic assistance and replacement materials. Likewise, district administrations must establish fast-track mechanisms to replace essential personal documents lost in the floods, enabling victims to rebuild their lives without bureaucratic delay.
Shahin Yusuf
Guwahat