Guwahati: Alarmed by the rapid degradation of the city’s vital river channels, local doctor Rabindra Nath Mazumdar has dedicated himself to restoring these neglected waterways, transforming them into living public assets. Concerned about rampant encroachment and indiscriminate garbage dumping, he works at the grassroots level to document the decline of these channels and mobilize local communities for their revival.
Mazumdar reminisces about his youth in Guwahati, recalling, “From 1961 to 1977, I studied at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. Back then, the water flowing through the Bharalu channel was clean. People used to bathe and fish there, and the area between Rajgarh and Zoo Road was a vast paddy field where many took leisurely walks.”
After pursuing further studies, Mazumdar returned to Guwahati in 2008 to work at a private hospital. He was distressed to find that the Bharalu channel had become narrow, with stagnant, black water. Determined to restore the river channels, he founded the group ‘Save Bharalu’ with like-minded individuals in 2021, although their efforts slowed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“During the lockdown, I wrote a poem about the Bharalu River and shared it on social media. The positive responses encouraged me and Robin Kalita to create a WhatsApp group for community involvement. Members contributed their ideas remotely while in-person meetings were impossible,” Mazumdar explained.
He began personally surveying and documenting the conditions of various channels, aiming to influence public perception. He urges citizens to see these waterways not as dumping grounds but as shared natural resources. Through awareness meetings, cleanup drives, and community interactions, he encourages especially young residents to take ownership of their local river channels.
The Bharalu is a non-perennial river that originally received a steady flow from the Bahini River, which starts in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. Beyond his immediate cleanup initiatives, Mazumdar frequently engages with government officials, advocating for long-term restoration efforts. “We were unaware of the blockage at Basistha Chariali. A sluice gate was installed there in 2004 with the belief that the Bahini River was the main cause of flooding, yet flooding persists. The officials can still remove the gate to restore the channel’s natural flow,” he said.
Despite the dire condition of the river channels, Mazumdar remains optimistic. He believes if citizens begin to take responsibility for their waterways, the government will ultimately follow suit.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/city-doc-mobilises-community-to-breathe-new-life-into-guwahatis-dying-river-channels/articleshow/126616950.cms
Category:
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-01-17 19:25:00
