Countering the allegations that it is due to the negligence of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation that the city is flooded after every rainfall, the GMC officials said that the work of drain cleaning in the city is done by three different government departments.

“The drains of lanes and by-lanes of the city are under the GMC's jurisdiction, whereas the major drains are looked after by the Water Resource Department. The drains on the both sides of the major roads are cleaned and repaired by the Public Works Department,” the GMC sources said.

The GMC has submitted an estimate of expenditure to the State government for cleaning the city drains. Meanwhile, the corporation has also started the drain cleaning process of the lanes and by-lanes of the city from this month.

“Unlike the past few years, the small drains of the city would be cleaned up well ahead of the rainy season. However, we need the support of common people to maintain cleanliness. If people dump their garbage, polythene packets etc., by the roadsides, it would naturally clog the drains and make the roads filthy. It is not possible to carry on drain cleaning exercise everyday in every by lane,” the sources added.

The State government has already asked all the three departments looking after the city drains to maintain a co-ordination so that the task is completed smoothly.

“Whereas, cleaning the small drains of the lanes is a must to check waterlogging, it is equally important to carry out de-siltation drive of the Bharalu rivulet and other major drains of the city and make the wetlands free from illegal encroachments,” added the sources.