How long will the solution to landslide elude Guwahati?

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The twin problems of landslide and artificial floods continue to haunts the denizens of Guwahati. The situation makes a perfect case study of the adage – too many cooks spoil the broth. Many departments and agencies – GDD (Guwahati Development Department), the Kamrup (M) district administration, GMDA (Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority), GMC (Guwahati Municipal Corporation), PWD, Environment and Forest department, Water Resources department, Revenue and Disaster Management department and Guwahati Smart City Ltd – are there to solve the twin menace. However, the solution continues to elude us. Lack of coordination among all such departments is glaring.

A woman had to lose her life because of landslide at Kahilipara here. June 26 witnessed landslides at three places in the city. Landslides have also been reported on Saturday, one in the Raj Bhawan area at Kharguli.

Since 2014 as many as 17 people have lost their lives in Guwahati due to landslides. The break-up is – five in 2014, six in 2016, one in 2017, three in 2018, one in 2019, and one (so far) in 2020.

It's not that the government does not have information regarding the problem. When the situation went out of control, the ASDMA (Assam State Disaster Management Authority) did engaged Assam Engineering College (AEC) to conduct a survey for the mapping of landslide-prone areas in the metropolitan district in 2015. The survey came out with findings that 366 areas in the 19 hillocks in and around Guwahati are landslide prone. Such sites include 77 in the Sunsali area; 40 in the Noonmati area; 37 in the Kharguli area; 33 in the Khanapara area; 31 in the Narangi area; 30 in the Hengrabari area; 25 in the Kahilipara area; 20 in the Santipur area; 14 in the Narakasur area; nine in the Garbhanga area; eight in the Maligaon area; seven in the Kalapahar area; six each in Gotanagar and Nabagraha areas; five each in Fatasil, Kamakhya/Nilachal, Sarania and Koina-Dhara areas; two in the Jalukbari/Lankeswar area and one in the Sukreswar area.

Since then issuance of notices to people living in landslide-prone areas has become a routine affair only to be ignored by the families concerned. Ban on earth-cutting also becomes a reality during the monsoon only. Since earth-cutting continues to take place during the dry season, it aggravates the landslide situation during the rainy days. Issuing notices and door-to-door awareness are the only efforts that are seen to prevent the menace. The administration does not have any information as to how constructions in landslide-prone areas are going on. Is there any regulation to check such constructions?

The problem is not loss of live alone. In fact, rampant earth-cutting and construction of houses in landslide-prone areas in the city continue to desecrate the natural beauty of Guwahati and its greenery. 

Also Watch: Minister in Waist Deep Flood Water in Tinsukia