The Gauhati High Court, on Wednesday, expressed urgency in addressing the persistent flooding issues in Guwahati, instructing the state government to devise a comprehensive strategy to mitigate this longstanding problem. During a hearing on a public interest litigation filed by the North East Eco Development Society, Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam emphasized the need for a permanent resolution to the city’s waterlogging crises.
Despite the hearing being unscheduled, the court took up the matter promptly following an urgent mention by Kamal Nayan Choudhury, President of the Gauhati Bar Association, highlighting the severe flood that struck the city on August 5, 2024. The event, widely reported in the media, showcased the distress experienced by Guwahati’s residents, with many trapped in their vehicles for hours due to inundated roads.
The plight of the city’s populace was particularly severe on Monday when a heavy rainfall led to extensive water accumulation, affecting daily life and mobility severely. School students were reported to have been stuck in buses until late at night, underscoring the dire nature of the city’s infrastructure woes.
The High Court has tasked Advocate General Devajit Saikia with presenting the existing and planned measures to tackle this issue by the next hearing. The court has also requested that the Principal Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs submit an affidavit detailing their actions.
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This directive comes after the High Court’s previous criticism of the Assam government’s lackadaisical approach to solving the waterlogging issue, which included imposing a fine on four departments for their non-cooperation.
