Assam Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah inspects desiltation works across Guwahati

Guwahati (Assam) [India], May 15 (ANI): Assam Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Jayanta Mallabaruah, on Thursday conducted a detailed inspection of the ongoing desiltation works across Guwahati.
The works are being carried out under the supervision of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and the Public Works Department (PWD).
The inspection covered several flood-prone areas, including Anil Nagar, PIBCO, Rukminigaon, Juripar, Silsakoo, Basisthapur Survey Beltola, Hatigaon, and a key stretch of the National Highway affected by waterlogging.
During his visit to various sites, the Minister also spoke with local residents and took note of their concerns.

He discussed both immediate and long-term solutions with them, reaffirming the government's commitment to address waterlogging and flood-related challenges through consistent action and community feedback.
The Minister said that he would be inspecting all flood-vulnerable sites in Guwahati throughout the day.
"Several flood mitigation measures had already been undertaken in Anil Nagar since the latter part of the previous year, and that long-term interventions would continue as planned. Simultaneously, immediate steps were being taken to provide relief from flooding,"
The Minister emphasized the importance of swift drainage, stating that the government's current short-term focus is on reducing the time required to clear rainwater from waterlogged areas.
"If earlier it took several hours to clear an area, we are now working on strategies to bring that time down to just one hour. Short-term measures such as desiltation must be carried out promptly and would continue after every spell of rain to ensure effectiveness," the Minister said.
The Minister noted that desiltation work across the city was scheduled to be completed by 30th April. However, he acknowledged that some areas remained unfinished.
He assured that the remaining work would be completed within three days, by 18th May.
In a firm message, the Minister stated that if the work is not completed within the given time frame, the District Commissioner would take necessary action against the concerned contractors or officials on 19th May under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act.
To ensure public involvement and greater transparency, the Minister highlighted the formation of monitoring committees in every region. These committees comprise local residents, ward commissioners, and departmental officials.
He stated that such participatory models had shown a positive impact and expressed optimism for even stronger community engagement going forward.
The visit was accompanied by Mayor Mrigen Sarania, GMDA Chairman Narayan Deka, DC Kamrup (M) Sumit Sattawan, DoHUA officials, Councilors of concerned wards and other dignitaries. (ANI)