Every year, as the monsoon clouds gather over Guwahati, a familiar performance unfolds along the banks of the Bharalu River. It's a well-rehearsed ballet, choreographed by the city's authorities, starring excavators and silt, and attended by an audience of weary residents.

The script remains unchanged: a fortnight before the rains, dredging commences with much fanfare, only to culminate in a predictable climax of floods and frustration.

Remember Marty McFly's famous dialogue from Back To The Future? "Hey, hey, I've seen this one. I've seen this one. This is a classic."

Well, dredging the Bharalu is actually a classic!

Act I: The Prelude To The Deluge

As April wanes, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) springs into action. Excavators descend upon the Bharalu, scooping out silt from the same locations as the year before.

The extracted muck is ceremoniously piled along the riverbanks, a testament to the city's commitment to flood prevention.

Yet, as the first rains arrive, this silt, like a homesick traveller, finds its way back into the river, undoing weeks of labour in mere hours.

Act II: The Growth Of The Green

The silt heaps, left unattended, become fertile grounds for wild vegetation. Over time, these mounds transform into miniature mangroves, complete with shrubs and small trees.

This unintended reforestation adds a touch of greenery to the urban landscape, albeit one rooted in negligence rather than planning.

Act III: The Flood Fandango

With the river choked by returning silt and burgeoning flora, the stage is set for the annual floods.

Streets become streams, homes turn into islands, and residents wade through waist-deep waters, cursing the predictable calamity.

The authorities, undeterred, announce the procurement of "latest technology" for dredging, a phrase that has become as recurrent as the floods themselves.

"Dredging of the Bharalu is nothing more than a petty joke. Since the fund has been allocated for the dredging, so the department has to show that some work has been done. The riverbed has only shrunk in the last decade, despite the rigorous dredging and desilting every year," bemoans a local resident.

"The fault lies in us as we are least bothered about the dredging and the cleaning exercise. We do not ask questions to the authorities," he adds on.

"And there are organisations who claim to be working day in and day out to save and reclaim the Bharalu. But the question is, are they? What they do is they share pictures of flooded Bharalu, claiming that the river has been dredged, desilted and cleaned, but...? I can't stop my laughter, sorry," he concluded.

Act IV: The Encore of Expenditure

Behind the scenes, a significant sum is spent on these annual operations. In 2017 alone, the GMC reported expenditures of Rs 1.73 crore for cleaning and desilting the Bharalu River.

Despite such investments, the river's condition remains unchanged, leading many to question the efficacy and transparency of these initiatives.

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Act V: The Chorus Of Concern

Environmental experts and residents alike have raised alarms over the Bharalu's state. The river, once a vital waterway, now functions as an open sewer, teeming with pollutants and breeding disease.

The unchecked dumping of waste, combined with sporadic and superficial clean-up efforts, has rendered the river a symbol of urban decay.

"Once people used to fish at the Bharalu during the monsoons and fishes were also of high quality. But today, forget fish, but one can't even imagine touching the water for a second. This has become so polluted," says Anamika Sarma, a local.

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"The fault lies in our stars, to be honest. We could not, rather say we did not act and think to preserve this water body, which was once a river. Not just Bharalu, even the condition of its tributaries is the same. And the blame has to be shared by every citizen. We lack environmental and hygiene literacy," she concludes.

Act VI: The Call For A New Composition

The recurring drama of the Bharalu River underscores the need for a comprehensive and sustainable approach to urban water management.

Experts advocate for an inclusive plan that addresses not just the symptoms but the root causes of the river's degradation. This includes stringent waste disposal regulations, regular maintenance, and genuine community engagement.

Finale: A Hope For Harmony

As the curtains fall on yet another monsoon season, the residents of Guwahati are left to ponder the cyclical tragedy of the Bharalu.

The river's—if we can still call it that—plight serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of apathy and mismanagement.

It's high time for the city's authorities to rewrite the script, transforming the annual farce into a genuine effort towards restoration and resilience.

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