Weeks after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma blamed a private university in Meghalaya for the recent flash floods in Guwahati, the governments of both states have agreed to form a joint committee to investigate the matter. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma confirmed this development on Thursday, stating that the committee would address the concerns raised by Assam.
Sangma, speaking to the media, said, “During a conversation with the Assam Chief Minister, we decided to form a joint committee comprising officials from both states to examine the issues brought up by Assam and others.” He further mentioned that the chief secretaries of Assam and Meghalaya were in communication to formalise the creation of the committee, following official communication from the Assam government. The committee is expected to be established within a week.
Sangma expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, “Hopefully, we will be able to resolve most of the issues.”
The decision to form the committee comes after Sarma had accused the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), of contributing to the flash floods in Guwahati. He alleged that the university had engaged in a “flood jihad” by flattening four to five hills to build new structures, which led to artificial flooding in the city.
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“Earlier, rainwater from Meghalaya entered Guwahati gradually, but since the establishment of USTM, the rate at which water enters the city has increased dramatically,” Sarma had said.
Founded in 2011, USTM is located just across the interstate border, near Guwahati’s southern edge. The university, established by Mahbubul Hoque, who also serves as its chancellor, has been at the centre of the controversy surrounding the recent flooding.
The joint committee aims to investigate these claims and find a resolution to the issue, ensuring that further incidents of flooding can be mitigated through coordinated efforts between the two states.
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