Waterlogging in guwahati essay

Water-logging in Guwahati Guwahati is called the gateway of Assam. It lies at the banks of the river Brahmaputra. It is surrounded by hills and has a tropical climate. The weather is often hot and humid in summer, cold and frosty in winter, but in the rainy season and also to some extent, in summer, it is often bombarded by heavy rainfall.

Rainfall is frequent in the summer season and very frequent in the monsoon. The city experiences an annual downpour of almost 400cm. But apart from quenching the thirst if the residents of the city, it often arises some problems for them. One of the main problems is waterlogging.

Waterlogging is a serious problem in Guwahati. It is a very big obstacle for the development of the city. It is in fact a curse for the common residents of the city.

Waterlogging is mainly caused due to the poor drainage system of the city, aided by heavy rainfall. The drainage system in Guwahati is not yet fully developed. The drains are very narrow as they have not been upgraded since many decades. Also, the garbage, which is very often thrown in the drains, tends to block the path of the sewage. Hence the water, having no place to accumulate, gets overflowed and fills the streets.

Although it is common for the streets to get waterlogged, yet it is uncommon for the major roads and the national highway to submerge in it. But as it has been noticed, the major roads and the national highway too have problems of waterlogging which is now a fresh issue. The drains by their sides do not have the capacity to hold the rainwater which rushes down the hills. In very heavy rainfall, the result is threatening. People often get problems in travelling from one place to another. The city gets drowned for several hours. In some areas, water takes days to evaporate from the streets.

Traffic gets stopped for hours. Schools and colleges remain closed and so the shops and markets. There is often shortage of drinking water as it gets mixed with sewage. The city comes to rest for some time.

There are problems even after waterlogging. As the streets dry up, there is often debris and garbage scattered, as they are displaced due to flooding. The city becomes unbelievingly dirty and stinking. Also, it becomes prone to water-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, etc.

Therefore, it is important to solve the problem of waterlogging. One of the main solutions is upgradation of the drainage system. The drains should be widened to have a better water holding capacity.

There should not be any garbage blocking them. The municipality should take steps for introducing garbage bins. It should also create awareness to the people to keep the streets and drains clean. It is the responsibility of the people to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation and keep the city clean and green. If the problem of waterlogging is solved, then it would be a big step for the development of the city.