Min directs admin to divert water flow from Meghalaya

Guwahati: State housing and urban affairs minister Ashok Singhal convened a high-level meeting with senior officials on Monday and emphasized the need to find ways to prevent water from Meghalaya from entering Guwahati, which has been identified as a critical factor for artificial floods in the city.
“One of the main reasons for artificials floods in the city is the water flow coming down from Meghalaya.The suggestion is to channel this water directly to the Brahmaputra or Deepor Beel without letting it enter the city,” he said.
Singhal directed officials to ensure that city drains are free from debris and maintain the cleanliness of natural water channels. He also stressed on stopping illegal land excavation and construction to prevent silt deposition as well as preventing encroachments on rivers and water bodies. Coordination with the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the forest department was also stressed.
The primary agenda of the session was to deliberate on long-term, comprehensive strategies under Mission Flood-Free Guwahati to effectively combat the perennial problem of urban flooding.
Singhal held other significant meetings at his office in Janata Bhawan with senior officials from various missions and departments. These included Mission Flood-Free Guwahati, Mission AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), the technical branch of housing and urban affairs department and the directorate of urban and country planning. The meetings reviewed the progress of various projects they have implemented.
In another notable meeting, the current status of urban water supply schemes under AMRUT 2.0 across the state was reviewed. Discussions included the Nagaon Water Supply Scheme (Rs 238.33 crore), Dibrugarh Water Supply Scheme (Rs 193.93 crore), and Silchar Water Supply Scheme (Rs 177.47 crore). Projects in Bihpuria, Jorhat, North Lakhimpur, Lakhipur (Cachar), Kokrajhar, Tinsukia, Bilasipara, Silchar (Phase II), and Rangia were also reviewed.
The minister provided essential instructions to ensure timely completion of these projects, as the urban population continues to grapple with the crisis of pure drinking water in several parts of the state.
In a separate meeting, Singhal emphasized the importance of proper waste and water management, and the upkeep of public toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). He stressed on ensuring 100% door-to-door waste collection by municipalities. Those present at the meeting include Mukuta Deka, vice-chairman of GMDA, Kavitha Padmanabhan, commissioner and secretary of the housing and urban affairs department, Megha Nidhi Dahal, commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation, Sumit Sattavan, deputy commissioner of Kamrup (Metro) district and other senior officials from various departments.