Shillong, Jul 29: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said Meghalaya should not be blamed alone for recurring floods in Assam, asserting that both states share responsibility to address the issue.
Responding to allegations that development in Meghalaya’s hill areas is causing waterlogging in Guwahati, Tynsong said no technology can accurately predict heavy rainfall or the impact of extreme weather.
“Meghalaya is time and again blamed for floods just because the state is located at a higher elevation. We cannot be held responsible simply because we are on higher ground while Assam lies in the plains,” he said.
Several areas in and around Guwahati, including Jorabat, Khanapara and the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, frequently face waterlogging during heavy rain.
His comments come amid repeated claims by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that developmental activities on Meghalaya’s hill slopes near Guwahati are a major factor behind flooding in the capital.
Referring to Assam’s proposed six-lane ring road project near Guwahati, Tynsong said the Assam government must ensure adequate drainage and culverts are built into the project to prevent waterlogging and improve flood management.
He stressed that mitigating floods requires joint action by both neighbouring states.
