No policy on proper disposal and recycling of Guwahati city waste

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 26: While those rubbing shoulders in the corridors of power make full use of their lung power in the matter of projecting their ‘success’ in the implementation of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, there appears to e none to look into the pollution and alleged adverse affect on the bio-diversity of the Deepor Beel caused by the waste dumping ground at Bora Gaon in the vicinity of the water body.

It appears that the State Government or none of the agencies under the Guwahati Development Department (GDD) like the GMC or the GMDA are in any way bothered about the initiation of a project for proper disposal of city waste or recycling of the same for positive use. The newly formed Guwahati Smart City Ltd (GSCL) is also sleeping over the matter.

As per data available, Guwahati city produces about 500 metric tons of waste every day. Of the amount about 20 % to 30 % comprises of plastic waste of which majority belong to the low density polythene category. While the waste of the city is dumped at Bora Gaon near Deepor Beel, allegations are rife that the bio-diversity of the Beel has been adversely affected.

Whereas the waste produced by the city is rising with every passing day, the Government, the GDD, the GMC or the GMDA have not formulated any policy worth its salt in the matter of dealing with the wast produced by the city.

Significantly, in 2017, the State Forest department wrote to the GMC stating the adverse affect on the Deepor Beel by the dumping ground at Bora Gaon and the need of shifting the dumping area to some other place. Unfortunately, no action in this respect has been initiated so far.

On the other hand, the concerned departments are not clear on the affect on the Beel by the dumping ground at Bora Gaon and are indulging in the game of pushing the blame on each other.

It may be noted that the present State Government since the beginning has been promising a pollution free Assam; but till date it has done nothing in the matter of proper disposal and treatment of waste produced by the city. Still worse the Government itself is all confuse in the matter of the adverse effect on Deepor Beel caused by the dumping ground at Bora Gaon.