Pre-monsoon woes hit Amingaon Ward no. 1: Urban flooding grips CM’s own backyard
BJP Ward Councillor Jhuma Chakma confirmed that flooding persists in the area, worsened temporarily by drain construction work;

Guwahati, May 5: With the first spell of pre-monsoon showers flooding their homes yet again, over 50 households in Amingaon Shrinathpatty, Ward No. 1 under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s Jalukbari constituency, are staring at another season of displacement, distress and unanswered pleas.
Ironically, even as the Chief Minister addressed a campaign meeting in the locality on Sunday for the second phase of the panchayat polls, residents waded through waterlogged streets to attend the event.
At least 60–70 homes have already been hit hard this year, as clogged drains and choked roads turned the neighbourhood’s roads into streams overnight.
“This has been our reality for the past four to five years; still, no permanent solution. We want to know where the funds have gone. We’ve grown used to carrying children through floodwater just to get to school,” said a local resident and student, requesting anonymity.

Residents have been wading through water-logged roads. (AT Photo)
Residents say repeated appeals to BJP Ward Councillor Jhuma Chakma have yielded little progress. While funds are reportedly sanctioned for flood-mitigation work, no visible change has occurred on the ground.
Chakma, speaking to The Assam Tribune, confirmed that flooding remains a persistent issue and cited ongoing construction of a major drain in Bipin Jaan as a temporary aggravator.
“The drain was supposed to be completed today, but work has been delayed because one of the construction vehicles is stuck due to flooding,” she said.
She also blamed residents for contributing to the problem. “Despite door-to-door garbage collection, many people continue to dump waste into open drains and pits. We’ve held awareness drives, but behaviour hasn’t changed,” she said.
Chakma added that the drain work was undertaken with the Chief Minister’s approval and aimed at providing long-term relief. However, she was unable to specify the cost of the project.
Meanwhile, residents remain frustrated. Senior citizens recently visited Chakma seeking urgent action, only to be told to shift temporarily to a nearby government school.
“Last year, around 50 families lived in that school building for nearly a month. Is that a solution?” the student asks.
A resident in front of her flooded house. (AT Photo)
With the monsoon looming and more showers forecast, families in the area have turned to makeshift boats—organised by local volunteers—for transportation.
“For all the talk of development—flyovers, smart parks, modern facilities—how can a neighbourhood in the Chief Minister’s own constituency be reduced to this? We are only asking for basic safety and dignity,” asked a schoolteacher, requesting anonymity.
As water-logging continue to plague the Ward no. 1, so do questions of accountability. And until Jalukbari’s most vulnerable are heard, the disconnect between promises and reality will continue to deepen—one waterlogged street at a time.