No records available: Assam minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Kharguli incident accountability

Assam Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Jayanta Mallabaruah, said on Sunday, January 5 that the government faces challenges in identifying and holding accountable those responsible for the water pipeline installation undertaken during 2015-16 due to a lack of data.

The minister convened a meeting with officials from the Guwahati Jal Board following the recent pipeline burst at Kharghuli, which caused significant flooding and destruction. This is the second such incident in the area, with a similar burst in 2023 leading to the tragic death of a woman and injuries to several others.

The meeting focused on reviewing whether the minister’s previous directives regarding the aftermath were being implemented, along with discussing preventive measures to avoid future incidents.  

Post-meeting, Mallabaruah stated, “The Jal Board does not have any records of the engineers and officials involved in the pipeline installation in 2015-16, which prevents the government from identifying or taking action against those responsible.”

The pipeline installation project was managed by Mumbai-based Gammon India Limited, a Project Management Consultant (PMC), and has been linked to several high-profile incidents in the city.

In response to ongoing concerns, Mallabaruah announced that a robotic survey would be conducted to detect faults in the old pipes, with an instruction to complete the survey by the end of March. The minister also assured that water supply to all parts of Guwahati, affected since the burst, would be resumed before Bohag Bihu.

Addressing concerns over compensation, Mallabaruah confirmed that the government would provide compensation based on damage assessments and existing regulations. He added, “The government cannot cover all expenses, but compensation will be provided within the scope of norms and regulations.”