Guwahati: Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah visits Rupnagar landslide site, assures support and safety measures

Staff reporter

Guwahati: In the wake of the devastating landslide that struck Rupnagar late Saturday night, Assam’s Public Health Engineering and Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah visited the affected area on Sunday to assess the damage and oversee relief efforts. The incident claimed the life of 60-year-old Maneswar Rajbongshi and displaced several families.

Accompanied by Guwahati East MLA Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Guwahati Mayor Mrigen Sarania, and Kamrup Metro Deputy Commissioner Sumit Sattawan, the minister surveyed the landslide-hit zone and interacted with affected residents. The Assam Government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the bereaved family.

The delegation later visited a relief camp set up at Rupnagar Lower Primary School, where nine vulnerable families, comprising 30 individuals, have been temporarily relocated. The minister reviewed arrangements for food, shelter, and medical care, assuring that the camp would remain functional until conditions stabilize.

Highlighting the risks posed by unchecked urban development, Mallabaruah said, “The increasing number of unauthorized constructions on fragile hill slopes is a matter of grave concern.” He noted that nearly 40–50% of Guwahati’s population resides on government land, often without proper permissions, and warned of the dangers of unregulated high-rise buildings in such areas.

He directed the district administration to begin a geological survey of all landslide-prone areas in Guwahati, with technical assistance from the Geological Investigation Department, to prevent future disasters.

Sanitation teams and medical personnel from the GMC have been deployed to support the displaced families, who are expected to remain in the relief camp at least until Monday, pending further safety assessments.

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