No proof of dumping ground polluting Assam lake: Minister

The Assam government on Wednesday asserted there is no scientific proof that the waste-dumping ground near Deepor Beel lake is polluting the water body, and steps are being taken to shift it to a different location.

Replying to a query by AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita in the state assembly, Guwahati Development Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya said the dumping ground is almost half-a-kilometre away from the Deepor Beel.

"There is no scientific evidence that the dumping ground is polluting the lake. There are many reasons. We do not have concrete proof of anything. We are taking steps to make the Beel pollution free," the minister said.

Refuting his argument, Kalita claimed that the pollution control board had issued a report stating the lake is being polluted by the dumping ground, which has become a small hill with the entire city's waste.

Bhattacharya also said a decision was taken to shift the ground to Chandrapur area, but the locals there did not allow the authority to dump the waste.