The Times of India 13.03.2013
GMC cleans drains to avoid waterlogging
GUWAHATI: The Guwahati Municipal Corporation
(GMC) has expedited the cleaning of drains to give respite to city
dwellers from the havoc of artificial floods during the coming monsoons.
Though the rainy season is yet to arrive, the GMC wants to restore the carrying capacity of the drains, which have been clogged by deposition of trash and silt, at the earliest.
"The GMC has chalked out an action plan to tackle the problem of artificial floods in the city. We want to complete the first phase of the cleaning drive by the end of April so that the water carrying capacity of the drains can be enhanced before the rainy season starts," GMC commissioner Kavitha Vaibhav Padmanabhan told TOI.
She said the municipality has entrusted the job of cleaning 83 drains to private firms. The contractors will have to carry out cleaning drives of these vital drains till the rainy season ends.
"The 83 drains have been divided into 42 packages. The contractors have been allotted the cleaning work through bidding. The GMC authorities will keep strict vigil on the work of the private firms. They will have to ensure that silt coming down from the hills do not hinder the flow of rainwater in these 83 vital drains," said Padmanabhan.
The GMC authorities have also undertaken cleaning drives in small drains located at bylanes in six divisions of the GMC. Three teams of drain labourers of the GMC are already carrying out cleaning drives in each GMC division.
Spells of rain in the city on Monday set alarm bells ringing in the artificial flood-prone areas of the city. Chandmari, Rajgarh, GS Road, RG Barooah Road, GNB Road, Nabin Nagar, Rajgarh Road, Lachit Nagar, Anil Nagar and the Zoo Road are the worst hit every monsoon.
Though the rainy season is yet to arrive, the GMC wants to restore the carrying capacity of the drains, which have been clogged by deposition of trash and silt, at the earliest.
"The GMC has chalked out an action plan to tackle the problem of artificial floods in the city. We want to complete the first phase of the cleaning drive by the end of April so that the water carrying capacity of the drains can be enhanced before the rainy season starts," GMC commissioner Kavitha Vaibhav Padmanabhan told TOI.
She said the municipality has entrusted the job of cleaning 83 drains to private firms. The contractors will have to carry out cleaning drives of these vital drains till the rainy season ends.
"The 83 drains have been divided into 42 packages. The contractors have been allotted the cleaning work through bidding. The GMC authorities will keep strict vigil on the work of the private firms. They will have to ensure that silt coming down from the hills do not hinder the flow of rainwater in these 83 vital drains," said Padmanabhan.
The GMC authorities have also undertaken cleaning drives in small drains located at bylanes in six divisions of the GMC. Three teams of drain labourers of the GMC are already carrying out cleaning drives in each GMC division.
Spells of rain in the city on Monday set alarm bells ringing in the artificial flood-prone areas of the city. Chandmari, Rajgarh, GS Road, RG Barooah Road, GNB Road, Nabin Nagar, Rajgarh Road, Lachit Nagar, Anil Nagar and the Zoo Road are the worst hit every monsoon.
