According to geologists, the primary reason for the massive landslides over the past few years has been increasing construction activities in the beautiful green hills dotting the length and breadth of the city which has significantly destabilised the ecological balance. Also major deforestation has contributed to the existing malice. Areas such as Nilachal, Kharguli, Dhirenpara, Noonmati and Kalapahar have seen scores of deaths caused by landslides. It is worth mentioning to note here that the total number of hills in and around the city is eighteen which is a staggering number by any stretch of imagination.

One of the residents in Dhirenpara, Abhik Chowdhury said, “We always remain in the constant awe of landslides during the rainy season for no fault of ours.” It is worth mentioning to note that Mr. Chowdhury stays in a legal construction on the foothills in the area.

Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) in association with Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) is contemplating a slew of proactive measures to counter the situation this monsoon. According to an official of GMDA, most of the illegal settlements in the hills would be evicted and an effective drainage system would be installed for proper channeling of the rainwater which causes the landslides. In addition, new saplings would be planted in the hills to enhance the dwindling green vegetations so that the roots system can hold on to the top soil and prevent landslides.

One of the residents of Dhirenpara, Mohammed Salim said, “I am very skeptical of the actions contemplated by the civic administration as they had never implemented their promises. So the threat stays as it is and common people like us are the eventual sufferers.”

One of the illegal encroaches at Noonmati on the condition of anonymity said, “If the authority does not provide us an alternative staying arrangement, we won’t let them evict us. We will fight till the end.”

Even the intelligentsia of the city is not very convinced about the promises made by the civic bodies. Sharnava Chowdhury, a student of Gauhati University said, “This is the umpteenth time, the administration has made reassuring promises to curb the enigma. But I would not be surprised if these promises end up in smoke just like the others did in the past.”
 
According to a study conducted by the Geographical Survey of India (GSI), subject to flattening of a part of the hill done during any construction, the soil on the top layer becomes loose and hence suffers a downward motion during rainfall. This causes landslides. Also the network of roots of the green vegetation helps to bind the soil and maintain the normalcy of the ecosystem. Any construction activity robs the specific part of the hill of the green vegetations and hence enhances the possibility of landslides.