Bharalu wall collapse fear sparks concern in waterlogged Guwahati

GUWAHATI: Vast parts of Guwahati continued to reel under waterlogging for the fourth day on Monday as heavy spells of rain lasting for a couple of hours lashed the city since Friday.
The worst-affected localities are Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Hatigaon, Panjabari, Geetanagar, Hatigarh Chariali, Zoo Road. Roads in many parts of the city have remained muddy causing immense inconvenience to pedestrians and commuters.
Retired professor of Gauhati University, AK Bhagawati, who has studied the urban floods, said the worst-hit localities were once wetlands and as the city grew, constructions came up on those low-lying areas. “Earlier, these areas used to absorb the rainwater during the monsoon. Shrinking wetlands or such low-lying areas due to rapid urbanisation and concretisation have resulted in worsening artificial floods in the city,” he added.
Meanwhile, the residents of Lakshmi Path near Zoo Road have raised concern over the condition of the boundary wall of the north side of the Bharalu river channel as a huge portion of the wall is on the verge of collapse.
“The wall is guarding Lakshmi Path. I had pointed out the condition of the wall to the Guwahati Municipal Corporation officials when they were desilting the Bharalu with excavators. They had assured us that they would inform the higher authorities. The road will also collapse if the guard wall collapses and the excess water of the channel will inundate the area,” said Partha Prawal Goswami, a resident of the area.
GMC commissioner Devasish Sharma, while saying that the civic body has relentlessly tried to mitigate floods in the city for the last five months, said, “Huge quantity of waste, particularly plastic, was removed during desiltation of the drains. Unfortunately, the drains have been found clogged with plastic waste a few days after de-siltation. Citizens must act responsibly.”
The north campus of Gauhati University, where two boys’ hostels and two girls’ hostels are located, is reeling under severe waterlogging for the last four days. Nibedita Das, boarder of the RCC 5 girls’ hostel, said the lack of drainage system on the north campus has resulted in severe waterlogging. “A single spell of rain will submerge of the ground floor of the hostel.”