Dibrugarh: The Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) has launched a cleaning drive of the Dibrugarh Town Protection (DTP) drain ahead of the monsoon, which is expected to arrive in the first week of June.Mayor Saikat Patra on Friday said the cleaning of the drain is being carried out on a priority basis given the city’s recurring waterlogging problem.The ongoing operation is focusing on a 9.5-km stretch of the 32-km-long DTP drain, which extends from Seujpur — the zero point — to the Sessa river. Of this, 5.65km falls within the Dibrugarh city limits, while the remaining stretch runs through the outskirts up to the Sessa river. Excavators are being deployed to remove debris, water hyacinth, silt, plastic waste and other accumulated material that has reduced the drain’s water-carrying capacity over the years. Cleaning of other drains across all 22 wards of the city will also be undertaken as part of the initiative.“Cleaning of the DTP drain is being carried out on a priority basis. Water from all 22 wards of the city flows through this drain, making it absolutely critical for managing urban flooding during the monsoon. Currently the cleaning process is being undertaken in the downstream part of the DTP drain at Japara Gaon area. We are determined to ensure that the drain functions at its best capacity before the rains arrive,” the mayor said.The DTP drain, constructed in 1954, is now 72 years old. It was originally built to serve a much smaller population and urban footprint. However, decades of rapid urbanisation, increased concrete surfaces and climate change-induced intense rainfall events have placed mounting pressure on the ageing infrastructure. The accumulation of silt, garbage and aquatic vegetation such as water hyacinth has further reduced its carrying capacity, directly contributing to the waterlogging that affects low-lying areas of the city every monsoon season.The drain is the backbone of Dibrugarh’s urban flood management system. Water from all 22 wards of the city drains into it, making its efficient functioning essential. When the drain is choked, even moderate rainfall leads to inundation of streets and residential areas — a problem that has worsened in recent years as the city has grown rapidly. Dibrugarh has been projected as the second capital of Assam, adding further urgency to improving its civic infrastructure.The municipal corporation has also appealed to residents to cooperate with the cleaning drive by refraining from dumping waste into drains and by reporting any blockages immediately to the corporation so that prompt action can be taken.“We urge citizens to play their part. The drains cannot be kept clean by the corporation alone. Residents must stop dumping garbage into drains. Every blockage caused by waste dumping directly contributes to waterlogging in the city,” Patra said.
