Guwahati water crisis: Access to drinking water a challenge as floods swept city

Guwahati, the gateway to Northeast India, is battling a severe water crisis. The city, situated along the banks of the mighty River Brahmaputra, faces a harsh irony. Every year floodwaters wreak havoc during the monsoon season, yet when it comes to daily water supply, Guwahati's taps run dry. 

 

Residents are forced to rely on private boreholes, which charge as much as Rs 600 monthly. Failing to pay by the 10th of each month results in water supply cut-offs, leading to a scrupulous usage of the scarce resource.

 

The persistent water crisis has left residents in various parts of the city grappling for survival. 

 

A resident from GMC Road said, "It's been 10 years since JICA installed pipelines for water supply, but we still haven't received any water. We're forced to rely on private boreholes and pay Rs 600 monthly. If we don't pay by the 10th of the month, they cut off the supply, so we use water sparingly."

 

"They claim that there will be road construction, among other reasons, but just look at the road conditions. Recently, a young boy died after falling into a drain from a scooter. There have been numerous accidents, with cars and school vehicles overturning," the resident added. 

 

Another resident from Sweeper Colony in Rupnagar, shared a similar plight, "We have lots of problems, and the most important one is water. For at least 70-80 years, since our grandfathers and their fathers, there has been no water supply here. We have a well that we got many years back, but it's useless now." 

 

"The water in it is full of bacteria, and what you see now is just rainwater. We have no reliable water source at all. We have to buy water, paying Rs 200-250 for only 700 liters. This amount isn't enough for us to survive. Monthly, we spend Rs 5,000-6,000 rupees just on water," she added. 

 

Responding to the ongoing crisis, Ashok Singhal, Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Irrigation, said, "In Guwahati, we have two ongoing projects funded by JICA and JNNURM. The JNNURM project was executed under GMDA, and the JICA project was managed by the Jal Board. Both contractors, including Gaymon, went bankrupt, leading us to remove them. The JNNURM project under GMDA was retendered and awarded to L&T, and now the Jal Board is handling its execution. Currently, all water supply projects in Guwahati are managed by the Jal Board. We've made progress with the JICA project, commissioning it and providing around 40,000 connections, with approximately 22,000 households already connected. We are pursuing this actively and believe we will complete the JICA project this year."

 

Despite these assurances, the ground reality remains grim. 

 

Data from the Jal Jeevan Mission's website suggests that 62,471 households in Kamrup Metro are registered, with 54,928 houses reportedly receiving water supply benefits. However, residents' daily struggles reveal a stark contrast to these official numbers.

 

One resident from Jayanagar highlighted the ongoing challenges, "This area is called Biswajyoti Path, 6 Mile, Jayanagar. We have a serious water supply problem and haven't received any water supply facilities yet. During the monsoon, there's a little water in our wells, which is manageable, but in the dry season, we've had to buy drinking water for the past 12-15 years." 

 

"Everyone in our area has to purchase water because there's no water pump or borewell. Despite the flood issues across the state, we still have no drinking water. Even though this area is considered posh, there's no water supply at all."

 

Guwahati faces a tragic irony while people lose their lives to drowning in flash floods, they lack access to water for their everyday needs. The issue is not just about water,  it's about the urgent need for action and accountability.