HT Digital
GUWAHATI, MAY 22: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced that the state government has approached a Supreme Court-appointed committee to address the issue of hill cutting in neighbouring Meghalaya, which he blamed for the worsening waterlogging in Guwahati.
Speaking at a press conference in Dergaon, Golaghat district, Sarma warned that if the activity continues, “Guwahati will become an ocean.” He added, “Artificial floods in Guwahati or any big city cannot be entirely prevented, especially as more open plots are filled in and new constructions come up every year.”
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Sarma reiterated that indiscriminate hill cutting in Meghalaya, particularly near the state border, is contributing to recurring urban floods in Guwahati. “Earlier, there was only USTM (University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya), but now two more buildings are being constructed by cutting hills,” he said.
Last year, the chief minister controversially accused USTM of engaging in “flood jihad”, claiming that runoff from its hillside campus was causing major inundation in Guwahati.
He confirmed that the Assam government has submitted a formal application to the Supreme Court’s empowered committee, requesting a physical inspection of the hills in Meghalaya. “We are expecting a positive response in two to three months,” Sarma stated.
His comments come just days after heavy overnight rainfall left Guwahati waterlogged, with many areas submerged for more than 24 hours. In some locations, residents were seen wading through knee- to chest-deep water.
The issue of waterlogging in Guwahati has long been contentious. Last year, the Gauhati High Court sharply criticised the state government, stating that it had shown a lack of seriousness in tackling the city’s flood problems.
