Assam: Around 89 bridges built over a river will be demolished to ease water logging problems. The government ordered the demolition of the bridges (both private and public) citing the 'emergent nature' of the task. As per reports, the order was passed by the government on Thursday but was not shared with the media.
Public interference will be considered an obstruction
Public interference or hindrance during the execution of the demolition will be considered as an obstruction to public service and legal action may be initiated as per prevalent acts and norms, the order issued by the Kamrup metropolitan deputy commissioner and chairman of the district management authority, Pallav Gopal Jha said.
Though the directive was issued on Thursday, it was not shared with the media by the authorities. It was made available to the media on Monday by Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia. The order said it was passed ex-parte due to the ‘emergent nature for mitigating the urban floods’. The bridges, some concrete and others iron structures, include those connecting the state zoo, the SBI Dispur branch and the local head office, the NABARD office, North Eastern Development Finance (NEDFi) Corporation House, several hospitals and thickly populated residential areas.
Bridges are obstructing the natural flow
Jha in his order said the list of 89 bridges over the Bahini river was submitted by the commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation. These are "obstructing" the natural flow of water causing water logging problems in different places. He has directed GMC to demolish these structures immediately for smooth flow of stormwater during the rainy season so that necessary relief from severe waterlogging may be provided to the people.
“Whereas, I am of the considered opinion that, if these structures are not demolished immediately, the de-siltation work along the Bahini river will not be effective causing immense hardship to the residents of that area and public in general,” the order said. The Assam government recently carried out an eviction drive to clear around 400 bighas (over 132 acres) of land from alleged encroachers on the banks of Silsako Beel (lake) in the city.
The Silsako Beel due to the encroachment has been reduced to a small pit and is one of the main reasons for water logging in the eastern part of the capital city during the monsoon, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) chairman Narayan Deka had told PTI. The GMDA as a first step has set a target to clear 100 metres, around 400 bighas, on both sides of the lake, an official said.
(with inputs from PTI)
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