Guwahati's worst flooding crisis exposes 25 years of failed governance: AJP

Artificial flooding that submerged large parts of Guwahati this year has highlighted catastrophic governance failures spanning two and a half decades, according to the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), which is demanding a comprehensive audit of development expenditures.

The recent floods, described as the worst on record, saw previously unaffected areas go underwater while residents navigated streets filled with sewage and contaminated water. The crisis reached tragic proportions when citizens fell into open manholes and lost their lives, forcing families to transport bodies for cremation using makeshift banana trunk boats.

"We witnessed with our own eyes how ordinary people fell into manholes and lost their lives. The saddest scene was when a dead body had to be ferried for cremation using a banana trunk," said Jagadish Bhuyan, General Secretary of AJP, during a press conference at the party headquarters on Sunday.

The flooding crisis has put the spotlight on Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's long tenure in power, which began when he was first elected as MLA in 2001. Bhuyan noted that Sarma held the Guwahati Development Department portfolio for an extended period before becoming Chief Minister.

"From being a Congress MLA to becoming the Chief Minister of Assam, he has enjoyed all the privileges of power. For a long time, he also held the portfolio of Guwahati Development Department," Bhuyan stated, adding that despite this extensive involvement in the city's governance, basic problems remain unresolved.

The opposition has specifically highlighted the failure of the Guwahati Masterplan 2025, announced by Sarma in July 2009 when he served as the state government's official spokesperson. The plan promised to resolve artificial flooding, drinking water scarcity, and infrastructure issues by 2025.

"We are now in 2025, and Himanta Biswa Sarma has gone from being the Guwahati Development Minister to becoming the Chief Minister of Assam. But instead of solutions, we are witnessing Guwahati burdened by deeper problems," Bhuyan observed.

The contrast between government promises and ground reality became starkly apparent during the floods. While authorities had previously promoted visions of metro rail and bullet trains, residents were forced to rely on country boats for transportation. Many families purchased personal boats as roads became impassable waterways.

AJP has demanded the immediate publication of a White Paper detailing government expenditures on Guwahati's development over the past 25 years. The party seeks transparency on multiple funding sources, including allocations from the Smart City project, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Asian Development Bank.

The demand extends to specific flood-related initiatives, including expenditures under Mission Flood Free Guwahati, the Restoration of Water Bodies scheme, and the Early Flood Warning System setup costs. AJP also wants a detailed account of the status and spending under the 2009 Guwahati Masterplan.

"The people have a right to know how much money was allocated and spent by the central and state governments over the past 25 years for the development and problem mitigation of Guwahati," Bhuyan emphasised.

The opposition party has also called for appropriate compensation for flood victims, arguing that the government must take responsibility for the artificial nature of the flooding crisis.

The flooding exposed significant infrastructure deficiencies, with residents encountering contaminated water of various colours flowing through streets. The crisis forced many to question whether the city has progressed or regressed under the current leadership.

As Guwahati continues to grapple with the aftermath of the floods, the demand for accountability and transparency in development spending has intensified, with citizens seeking answers about how billions of rupees allocated for urban development and flood prevention have been utilised over the past quarter-century.