When rain turns toxic: Guwahati’s filth crisis sparks health fears
As drains clog, filthy floodwaters laced with garbage turn city streets into disease breeding grounds
Guwahati, May 27: Monsoons are meant to refresh and revive the land, but in many parts of Guwahati, they stir up a toxic cocktail of garbage and filth. Heaps of uncollected garbage and clogged drains have become a daily challenge, one that both people and animals have learnt to navigate.
With the arrival of rains, these stinking trash piles becomes fertile breeding ground for disease-causing fungus, germs and bacteria. The stagnant, dirty water trapped around piles of garbage mounds encourages mosquito breeding, leading to a rise in deadly diseases such as malaria, dengue, encephalitis, and filaria, which often reach epidemic levels in some areas.
Experts have constantly stressed the urgent need to clear waste from public spaces to prevent major health crises. City-based physician Dr Kuldip Das highlights the seriousness of the situation.
“The stench from garbage heaps alone can cause health problems ranging from mild irritation to severe respiratory issues. Symptoms like coughing, sneezing, burning eyes, and wheezing can become common. In some cases, it can trigger or worsen existing respiratory conditions like asthma,” said Dr Das.
Garbage bins and its surroundings often harbor germs that contribute to many gastro-intestinal diseases like cholera and typhoid. Dr. Das pointed out another alarming concern.
“When this filth gets mixed with rainwater, the contaminants can seep into broken pipelines and even pollute groundwater, making it a vehicle for waterborne diseases,” he said.
With drains likely to overflow soon, the combination of garbage and dirty water will flow unchecked through neighbourhoods.
In Guwahati, it's become a common sight to see young children wading through contaminated water on their way to school. This scenario reflects not just administrative neglect but also the lack of empathy and concern for public health, and especially that of children.
“Parasitic infections, dysentery, diarrhea are common occurrences as soon as rains start. Sewage contamination can deplete oxygen in water bodies, cause algal blooms and release harmful toxins that make enter the human food chain,” shared Dr Das.
Echoing similar concerns, Dr Nayantrishna Nath, a Delhi-based consultant pathologist told The Assam Tribune, “During city floods, diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, leptospirosis, and dengue can spread rapidly through contaminated water and sewage. Children are particularly vulnerable, with higher risks of infection, dehydration, and severe illness.”
She highlighted prevention over treatment. “Avoid walking through clogged water, use boiled drinking water, and maintain personal hygiene. Most importantly, don’t early symptoms like fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Early medical help and ORS can make a life-saving difference”, Nath said.
While the government and civic bodies continue to delay action, the public too displays a concerning lack of civic awareness. Improper waste disposal, including tossing garbage in drains and roadside corners, is a common scene. The concept of waste segregation remains alien to many households.
The rains should be a time of joy –a time when children splash in puddles and communities come alive. But in the current state, it's not the rain, but the contaminants mixed in floodwater that make people sick.
By Dr Reetamoni Das