Choked drains adds to waterlogging woes, say Guwahati residents

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: As monsoon showers continue to inundate several parts of Guwahati, residents have pointed to indiscriminate garbage dumping into drains as a key factor aggravating the city’s recurring waterlogging, even as they stressed that inadequate drainage infrastructure remains the larger underlying problem.

Areas such as Wireless, Hatigaon, Beltola, Zoo Road, Kahilipara and several other localities have witnessed waterlogging following heavy rainfall in recent weeks, disrupting traffic and daily life. Residents and commuters said tackling the problem requires shared responsibility between the civic authorities and the public. While the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) is responsible for maintaining drains and managing solid waste, they said citizens must also refrain from dumping garbage into drainage channels and public spaces. An elderly resident from Rukminigaon said the responsibility for keeping the city clean cannot rest solely with the authorities. “The government is responsible for waste collection and enforcement, but citizens are responsible for not littering in the first place. Accountability goes both ways. Garbage doesn’t magically appear in drains because the government failed. Someone throws it there first,” the resident said.

Echoing similar views, a commuter said public behaviour often undermines efforts to improve the city’s drainage network.

“Even if the government builds a proper drainage system, people will dump garbage there and block it. Somewhere, people are also responsible for the problem,” the commuter said.

Residents said plastic bottles, food wrappers and other discarded waste frequently accumulate in roadside drains. During heavy rainfall, these materials obstruct the free flow of stormwater, causing drains to overflow onto roads and low-lying areas.

A shopkeeper near Little Flower School in Hatigaon said irresponsible disposal of waste continues to be a major concern.

“People should stop throwing bottles, sanitary pads, food packets, condoms, diapers and other waste into drains. It’s not always the government’s fault. Often, we are responsible too,” the shopkeeper said.

Students travelling through different parts of the city every day also observed that littering has become a common sight despite the availability of designated garbage collection points in many neighbourhoods.

Residents noted that while the GMC has established waste collection systems across the city, improper disposal practices continue to hamper drain maintenance and reduce the efficiency of the drainage network during the monsoon.

Responding to the concerns, a GMC official said the civic body has repeatedly appealed to residents not to dump waste into drains and has initiated enforcement measures against violators.

“Despite all our awareness efforts, people still throw garbage into drains. We have imposed penalties on individuals found dumping waste into drainage channels,” the official said.

Residents said lasting improvements would require a combination of regular desilting of drains, efficient waste collection, stricter enforcement against littering and greater public awareness. They maintained that unless civic maintenance is complemented by responsible public behaviour, waterlogging is likely to remain a recurring challenge during every monsoon season.

With more rainfall forecast in the coming weeks, residents urged both the authorities and citizens to work collectively to ensure that the city’s drainage system remains free of obstructions and is capable of handling heavy rainfall.

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