Mission Flood-Free: Assam’s Urban Affairs Minister Unveils Plans for a Cleaner, Livable Guwahati

Assam’s Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Jayanta Mallabaruah, hosted an interactive session titled ‘BARTALAAP’ with senior editors and journalists at Novotel, Guwahati. The session aimed to outline key priorities and initiatives of the Departments of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA) and Public Health Engineering (PHED) to foster sustainable development, particularly in urban management and public health across Assam.

A major highlight was DoHUA’s ambitious ‘Mission Flood-Free’ initiative, designed to address artificial flooding, with a focus on Guwahati. The Minister emphasized strategies such as constructing robust drainage systems in flood-prone areas, managing cross-border water inflows, and engaging communities to create a cleaner, more livable Guwahati. He also discussed incentivizing public participation in cleanliness drives and engaging students in the Swachhata Abhiyan through collaboration with the Education Department.

Other proposed measures included innovative traffic management solutions, addressing footpath encroachments, improving waste disposal systems, incorporating groundwater retention in new constructions, and tackling illegal water supply operations.

On the Public Health Engineering Department’s front, the session celebrated significant progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims to provide safe drinking water to every household. Minister Mallabaruah highlighted that tap water connections have reached 82% of households, a substantial leap from just 1.67% in 2019. The government pledged continued rigorous monitoring of JJM projects while welcoming media insights to identify areas needing improvement.

The session underscored the media’s critical role in bridging the communication gap between the government and citizens. Discussions included leveraging digital platforms for direct engagement and incorporating journalists’ feedback to refine policies.

Concluding the session, Minister Mallabaruah thanked the media for their active participation and valuable suggestions, calling their insights crucial for shaping policies aligned with public needs. He reiterated the government’s commitment to collaboration and innovation to achieve a progressive and inclusive future for Assam.