25 city projects meant to end waterlogging or to spend Rs 99.11 crore?

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi did precious little in the past 14 years to solve the problem of waterlogging in the city. With the Assembly elections in the State slated for 2016, he allocated around Rs 99.11 crore to solve the problem, and took up some 25 projects in an unscientific way. The projects aren’t what they should have been, and the drains aren’t wide enough to let water go fast. The engineers have played truant – Atul Bora

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 3: Dispur took up as many as 25  projects in the me of fighting flash floods in Guwahati, as though to spend the Rs 99.11 crore allocated for it in the fiscal 2014-15 rather than solving the problem.

Former PWD minister and now BJP leader Atul Bora has squarely blamed it on the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in the State for the problem of flash floods that has made Guwahati a veritable hellhole.

In order to end the notorious problem of waterlogging that gives city life a hellish experience in around 40 places in Guwahati, Dispur has earmarked around Rs 9911.03 lakh in the fiscal 2014-15. Some of the projects are still going on. Places in the city that face waterlogging, as often as not, are Anil gar, bin gar, Lachit gar, Tarun gar, Pub Sarania, Hatigaon, Sijubari, Ambari, Jyotigar, Hengrabari, Last Gate, Dispur, Ganeshguri, Bhaskar gar, Fancy Bazar, Maligaon, Santipur, Kalipur, GS Road, Rajgarh Road, Chandmari, Dwarka gar, Mathura gar, Panjabari, Zoo Road, VIP Road, NH-37 and Bhetapara.

Additiol Chief Secretary MGVK Bhanu and the Chief Minister were on record making statements that waterlogging in the city would be an experience of the past in Guwahati. Bhanu himself supervised the project works. However, the problem has rather aggravated.

Talking to this reporter, former State PWD minister Atul Bora said: “Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi did precious little in the past 14 years to solve the problem of waterlogging in the city. With the Assembly elections in the State slated for 2016, he allocated around Rs 99.11 crore to solve the problem, and took up some 25 projects in an unscientific way. The projects aren’t what they should have been, and the drains aren’t wide enough to let water go fast. The engineers have played truant. Had the Chief Minister accorded importance on the problem in the past 14 year, it could have been solved.”

Bora said: “There’re also lapses on the part of the district administration that has failed to prevent encroachment of land and construction of dwelling houses on city hills and wetlands. The funds allocated to end waterlogging in the city has largely been swindled. The lack of coordition between the GMC, GMDA and the GDD has also come to light. Despite taking up 25 projects, the problem of waterlogging still persists in the city, because of the corrupt government.”