Guwahati: Residents of Guwahati have expressed outrage after the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) was caught dumping garbage in a residential area atop Narkasur Hill, situated near the Guwahati Medical College Professors’ Residential complex
Videos circulating online show GMC garbage collection vehicles offloading waste in the residential area, with visuals depicting large piles accumulating by the roadside on Gauhati Medical College Hill Top Road.
Social media users have bombarded the GMC with accusations of “irresponsible” actions.
One user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “It’s a disgrace that we still haven’t been able to build a garbage recycling plant in the city. We can build a flyover in a year, but recycling? Nah, misplaced priorities.”
Another user questioned the role of environmental authorities, stating, “Where is the Pollution Control Board and other environmental agencies? Imagine if this garbage catches fire! Who is accountable here? We need smart solutions for a SMART City (village)!”
“Two unsolved mysteries of Guwahati – garbage disposal plant & water supply – that we’ve been hearing for the past almost two decades. Nobody knows actually whats happening… And for the this new site, GMC needs to be congratulated certainly,” said journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya in a post on X.
Environmental activist Rohit Choudhury slammed the GMC, stating, “Well done @gmc_guwahati, only you could do this. After destroying Deepor Beel, you’re now searching for new places to wreck. This is a violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016! The National Green Tribunal (NGT) could take suo moto cognizance of this!”
This incident brings to light the GMC’s ongoing struggle with waste management. In 2019, the NGT ordered the GMC to relocate the West Boragaon dumping ground due to the environmental threats it posed to Deepor Beel, Assam’s only Ramsar Site.
A temporary solution was found in June 2021, with a new landfill set up on a 40-acre plot at the Thermal Power Complex in Chandrapur. However, this plan was short-lived due to strong opposition from residents in the area. The West Boragaon dumping site had been operational for over a decade, serving the city since 2008.
The current situation atop Narkasur Hill exposes the urgent need for the GMC to develop a sustainable and responsible waste management strategy, prioritizing the health and well-being of Guwahati’s residents and its environment.