Guwahati: Dispur has endorsed a concept note prepared by Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) chairman Dhiren Baruah for a sustainable solution to the problem of urban floods in the city.

Baruah prepared the note after making on-spot assessments of areas in the city that are vulnerable to floods and speaking to a cross-section of citizens, including technical experts.

He had submitted it to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal in November last year.

After careful perusal of the note, the state government accepted it and the Guwahati development department directed the chief executive officer of GMDA and the commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation to take measures on the basis of it to find a sustainable solution to the city's artificial waterlogging problem.

Baruah suggested that the mitigation efforts should be directly controlled, monitored and managed by the office of the chief minister.

"A cell, comprising technocrats, urban planners and citizens' representatives may be established under the chairmanship of the chief minister. All government agencies involved in flood mitigation should implement the schemes/measures with the approval and concurrence of this cell so that the flood mitigation efforts get the required direction and leadership," the GMDA chairman said.

Baruah has identified a number of reasons behind floods in the city such as poor network of inadequate and unscientifically constructed drains, unmanaged solid wastes, reclamation of low-lying lands, unchecked or unplanned urban growth, deforestation and denudation of hills surrounding the city among others.

According to him, as the city's topography is bowl-shaped which is surrounded by hills on three sides with the gradient towards the centre of the city, it will require a scientific approach to drainage woes as no piecemeal or ad hoc measure can provide the desired result.

Baruah also called for construction of silt traps at different places to prevent silt, running from the hills, from depositing in the drains.

Among other measures, he suggested diversion of storm water flowing down from Meghalaya hills to the Kulshi river.