APSC Answer Writing (Daily) based on Assam Tribune – 26/08/2026

For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, practicing Daily Answer Writing is vital. This blog covers the most important Main question and its model Answer from the Assam Tribune today (26-08-2026).

Q. “Climate change is increasingly acting as a risk multiplier for Assam, while hill cutting and unplanned urbanisation are amplifying the State’s vulnerability to landslides and urban flooding.” Discuss the statement with special reference to Guwahati.

Assam’s geographical setting—high monsoonal rainfall, the Brahmaputra river system, hills, forests and floodplains—makes it naturally vulnerable to floods, erosion and landslides. However, climate change combined with anthropogenic alterations of the landscape is increasing the vulnerability of its urban areas, particularly Guwahati.

How human activities amplify climate-related risks

Hill cutting and vegetation loss: Removal of vegetation and alteration of natural slopes can reduce slope stability and increase susceptibility to landslides, particularly during intense rainfall.
Unplanned urbanisation: Expansion of built-up areas increases impervious surfaces, reducing infiltration and increasing surface runoff.
Wetland encroachment: Conversion of wetlands and low-lying areas reduces natural water-storage capacity.
Drainage obstruction: Construction, silt and solid waste can obstruct natural and artificial drainage channels. Landslide debris can further aggravate drainage congestion.
Increased exposure: Settlements and infrastructure located on vulnerable slopes, low-lying areas and natural drainage pathways increase potential disaster losses.

Thus, the risk pathway can be represented as:

Climate variability/extreme rainfall → degraded hills/wetlands → landslides and increased runoff → drainage obstruction → urban flooding.

Measures and Way Forward

Assam has developed institutional and planning mechanisms such as the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), flood early-warning initiatives, the State Action Plan on Climate Change, and urban planning frameworks for Guwahati. The State also has regulatory provisions concerning hill lands and ecological sites.

However, the approach needs to shift from post-disaster response to risk-sensitive urban planning. This requires:

Strict regulation of hill cutting and construction on vulnerable slopes.
Scientific slope-stability and drainage assessments before major construction.
Protection and restoration of wetlands and natural drainage channels.
GIS-based mapping of landslide-, flood- and ecologically sensitive zones.
Expansion of blue-green infrastructure such as wetlands, retention areas and permeable surfaces.
Stronger coordination among urban planning, disaster management, environment, water resources and municipal agencies.
Greater use of early-warning systems and community-based preparedness.

Guwahati demonstrates that disasters are not determined by natural hazards alone; exposure and vulnerability created by development patterns are equally important. Assam therefore needs a development model that treats hills, wetlands, forests and natural drainage systems as ecological infrastructure, integrating climate resilience with urban growth rather than treating environmental protection as a constraint on development.

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