Assam GDD Minister says Deepor Beel Is Lung of Guwahati

Deepor Beel

Guwahati, June 5, 2019:

Guwahati Development Department (GDD) Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya has rued that the Deepor Beel is under threat and hailed the awareness campaign launched by Inside Northeast to save the only Ramser site of Assam.

While endorsing the # LetsSaveDeeporBeel campaign launched by Inside Northeast, Bhattacharya said, “Deepor Beel is a lung of Guwahati, because it not only accumulates the surplus rain water that we receive which flows into Deepor Beel. It also helps us by generating oxygen which is very much required by a city like Guwahati. Deepor Beel is under threat from firstly because of the sewerage that has been allowed to drain into it without any kind of treatment.”

Bhattacharya said Assam Government has already created a Deepor Beel Conservation Society. “We have undertaken steps to protect it. We will try to save it. Glad to know that Inside Northeast has launched # LetsSaveDeeporBeel campaign.

It is the only major stormwater storage basin for Guwahati city.

Also Read: Assamese Actress Geetawali Warns that Deepor Beel is Losing its Beauty, Appeals for its Preservation

This wetland has been suffering from environmental degradation due to continuous encroachment and waste dumping despite the fact that this freshwater lake is a protected site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 1971.

It is also painful that the Guwahati Municipal Corporation dumps all its waste in the vicinity of Deepor Beel. Since July 2006, the GMC has started dumping waste at Paschim Boragaon Garchuk area in the city, which is closer to the waterbody.

Inside Northeast’s Campaign #LetsSaveDeeporBeel is now supported by Oil India Limited (OIL). Join us as we continue the awareness campaign to preserve the only Ramsar site in Assam which is facing immense threats. We need your held to preserve this site of great ecological importance. Join the #LetsSaveDeeporBeel campaign and tweet about it, and do tag us on Twitter. Let's make some noise!