Jan. 19: After an inordinate delay, Dispur has finally come to the rescue of Silsako Beel, a natural wetland in the south-eastern part of the city.

An Assam government official said the Guwahati development department, taking note of the rampant encroachment that has choked the beel, has decided to include several measures for its conservation in the new city masterplan, which will be published soon.

“The draft masterplan has given great emphasis on minimising the threat of artificial flood in the city. Encroachment of Silsako Beel and its surrounding areas will cause severe waterlogging in the area between Panjabari and Satgaon along the Express Highway. During monsoon, floodwater from this large area is drained into the Brahmaputra through the beel. So, the protection of Silsako Beel has to be put on the priority list in the new masterplan,” the official said.

GDD secretary A.K. Bhutani recently held a meeting with senior citizens of south-east Guwahati and examined the encroachment scenario around the lake.

At the meeting, residents of the area alleged that encroachment has reduced the area of the beel, which originally was spread over 200 hectares, to almost half its size. They also asked Bhutani to take a personal initiative to protect the waterbody.

Bhutani has assured them to include the Silsako Beel protection in the new masterplan.

Organisations such as the Greater Zoo Road Citizens’ Forum, Brihattar Japorigog Unnayan Samiti, Save Guwahati Build Guwahati and Abhijatri have been demanding cancellation of all allotments on the beel. They demanded the government to reclaim the wetland and clear the drainage channels between the beel and the Brahmaputra of encroachments.

The GDD secretary said the government was taking initiatives to protect all natural waterbodies in the city under the new masterplan. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has asked the metropolitan administration to acquire land in and around the notified wetlands to free them of encroachment.

The city development report chalked out by Dispur has also outlined projects to protect the wetlands and waterbodies. The report has been submitted to the Centre for sanction of funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.