Debabrata Saikia Demands Action Over Guwahati Water Supply Project Disaster

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Assam Human Rights Commission, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia has called for immediate intervention into the alleged human rights violations stemming from the faulty and corrupt implementation of the JICA-assisted Guwahati Water Supply project. 

This comes after the recent burst of a water pipeline at Nepalichowk, Kharghuli on Thursday morning.

Debabrata Saikia and MLA Diganta Barman are now at Kharghuli to take stock of the situation, and in the meantime, Saikia has expressed grave concern over the massive inconvenience caused to the residents of Guwahati due to what he describes as "criminal negligence" by the current BJP-led government.

Saikia's letter, dated January 2, 2025, highlighted the tragic consequences of the project’s mismanagement, particularly referencing a catastrophic incident that occurred on May 25, 2023, in the Kharguli area. He wrote, "On the fateful day, a catastrophic incident occurred in the Kharguli area of Guwahati when a JICA water supply main line pipe burst, resulting in a devastating water gush, destroying around 40 houses, sweeping away numerous vehicles, killing one woman, namely Sumitra Rabha, and injuring many."

Saikia further pointed out that this incident is not an isolated one but the result of years of negligence and poor implementation of the water supply project, which was first launched in 2009. He referred to the contract awarded in 2010 to the US-based firm Louis Berger to manage three water supply projects under the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority. However, the project has been marred by allegations of corruption. In 2015, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Louis Berger for paying bribes to officials in Assam and Goa between 1998 and 2010 to secure contracts for water management consultancy. Although no specific names were mentioned, the BJP has previously alleged that the current Assam Chief Minister was a key suspect in the water supply scam.

Saikia highlighted that, despite a high-level inquiry being ordered by the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in 2015, the investigation failed to make significant progress after the BJP came to power in 2016. He cited an order by the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court, which criticized the sluggish pace of the investigation, stating, "This court totally fails to understand as to why the investigation has been done at such a snail’s pace where prompt and effective action was wholly warranted."

Moreover, Saikia pointed out that despite the CBI probing the multi-crore Louis Berger corruption case since 2017, the Assam government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, appointed an enquiry officer at the state level in February 2022, despite an ongoing investigation by the CBI.

"The water supply project has missed numerous deadlines, and almost every part of Guwahati has witnessed repeated digging at the same spots to install pipes, causing significant inconvenience to the residents," said Saikia, emphasizing the negative impact the project has had on the quality of life for Guwahati dwellers.

Saikia further criticized the Assam government's response to the death of Sumitra Rabha, stating that the government had only announced a meager Rs. 2 lakh aid to her family. He called for an increased compensation amount, saying, "I respectfully pray before you to direct the Assam government to increase the compensation to the family of Sumitra Rabha to 10 lakhs and injured persons to 2 lakhs."

In addition to seeking fair compensation for the affected families, Saikia demanded that the Assam government take action to reconstruct and rehabilitate those whose homes were destroyed in the tragic incident. He also called for the implementation of adequate measures for the sustenance and well-being of the affected families.

Saikia's letter concluded with a request for the Assam Human Rights Commission to take cognizance of the matter and hold those responsible accountable. He requested the Commission to issue notices to the Assam government and JICA to explain why the project has taken so long to complete and to fix responsibility for the criminal negligence that has led to the tragedy. "I would be grateful for your kind action," he wrote in the closing of his letter.

Also Read: Kharghuli Pipeline Rupture Leads to Water Supply Interruption Across Key Guwahati Areas