APSC Current Affairs: Assam Tribune Notes with MCQs and Answer Writing (19/09/2025)
For APSC CCE and other Assam Competitive examinations aspirants, staying updated with current affairs is vital. This blog covers most important topics from the Assam Tribune today (19-09-2025). These issues are key for both APSC Prelims and Mains preparation, offering insights into the APSC CCE Syllabus.
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🏞️ Encroachment on Guwahati Hills – Landslides & Artificial Floods
📘 GS Paper I – Geography: Urbanisation, Landforms
📘 GS Paper II – Governance: Urban Planning & Policy
📘 GS Paper III – Disaster Management, Environment
📘 GS Paper V – Assam-specific Issues
🔹 Introduction
Guwahati, Assam’s largest urban centre, has expanded rapidly over the last few decades. Unchecked encroachment on its surrounding hills (like Narakasur, Hengrabari, Japorigog, Sarania, Fatasil, Kalapahar, etc.) has led to deforestation, hill cutting, and illegal settlements, aggravating landslides and flash floods. These artificial floods occur even with moderate rainfall, as natural drainage channels are blocked and hills destabilised.
🔑 Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
| Encroachment | Illegal settlements, commercial establishments, hill cutting for land. |
| Deforestation | Tree cover loss reduces soil binding, leading to erosion. |
| Drainage Blockage | Natural rivulets (nallas / jhoras) filled up for construction. |
| Artificial Floods | Even 1–2 hours of heavy rain leads to waterlogging in city localities. |
| Landslides | Slopes destabilised, frequent landslides during monsoon. |
| Affected Areas | Kahilipara, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Bhetapara, Zoo Road Tiniali, Beltola, Basistha. |
| Casualties | Almost every year lives lost due to landslides and flash floods. |
🧠 Prelims Pointers
Guwahati Hills: Part of the Khasi–Jayantia hill extensions; sedimentary rocks prone to erosion.
Dispur Master Plan (1965): First city planning attempt, now outdated.
Bharalu River: A key drainage channel flowing through Guwahati; heavily encroached.
Flash vs Artificial Floods:
Flash floods = caused by heavy rainfall, sudden rise in river water.
Artificial floods = man-made, due to drainage blockage & urban mismanagement.
Disaster Management Act 2005 – Urban flood management included.
AMRUT & Smart Cities Mission: Central schemes addressing urban infrastructure & resilience.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Importance of the Issue
Urban Vulnerability – Guwahati faces recurrent disasters; disrupts city life & economy.
Public Safety – Landslides have claimed lives; artificial floods cause epidemics.
Economic Impact – Damage to property, transport, and businesses.
Environmental Cost – Hills degraded, wetlands lost, biodiversity threatened.
Governance Challenge – Reflects weak urban planning and poor enforcement.
B. Challenges
Weak Enforcement – Despite GMDA rules, encroachments flourish due to political patronage.
Migration Pressure – Rural-urban migration increases demand for low-cost land/housing.
Wetland Loss – Deepor Beel and other wetlands filled up, reducing natural water absorption.
Unplanned Drainage – Bharalu and Bahini rivers encroached with garbage dumping.
Climate Change – Intensified rainfall events worsen flooding.
Public Resistance – Eviction drives often face social and political backlash.
C. Government Initiatives
Guwahati Smart City Project – Stormwater drainage projects in select zones.
Deepor Beel Ramsar Site Protection Plan – Attempts to restore wetland ecosystem.
Eviction Drives – Periodic but inconsistent removal of hill encroachers.
Urban Flood Mitigation Project – Under SDRF and Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
Eco-sensitive Zone Declaration – Proposals to regulate Guwahati hill cutting and mining.
D. Way Forward
Strict Enforcement – No-compromise policy on hill and wetland encroachment.
Drainage Restoration – Reopen nallas and rivers like Bharalu, remove concrete blockages.
Green Cover Revival – Large-scale afforestation on city hills; bio-engineering methods.
Urban Planning Update – New Guwahati Master Plan 2035 to strictly integrate disaster resilience.
Public Awareness – Educate citizens on hazards of illegal hill cutting & dumping.
Technology Use – GIS mapping, drone surveys to track encroachment.
Inclusive Housing Policy – Affordable housing for slum dwellers to reduce illegal settlement pressure.
🧩 Conclusion
Encroachment on Guwahati’s hills is a man-made disaster in the making. Unless urgent steps are taken to enforce land use regulations, restore natural drainage, and revive green cover, Guwahati will continue to face urban floods and deadly landslides. Sustainable urban planning, backed by strong political will and citizen participation, is the only path towards a safe and resilient city.
⚖️ SC Panel on USTM Hill Cutting & Meghalaya Mining – Impact on Assam’s Ecology
📘 GS Paper II – Judiciary & Governance
📘 GS Paper III – Environment, Ecology, Sustainable Development
📘 GS Paper V – Assam-Meghalaya Inter-state Issues
🔹 Introduction
The Supreme Court-appointed expert panel has directed the restoration of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) campus area into forest cover, citing illegal hill cutting and mining around the Assam–Meghalaya border. This intervention highlights the ecological fragility of the region and its cross-border environmental impact, as Assam shares sensitive watersheds and biodiversity corridors with Meghalaya.
🔑 Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
| Issue | Illegal hill cutting, quarrying, and mining near USTM campus in Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya. |
| SC Panel Recommendation | Restoration of degraded land into forest; ban on further mining/hill cutting. |
| Reason | Hill degradation affecting soil stability, causing landslides, drying of rivulets. |
| Cross-Border Impact | Downstream Assam (esp. Kamrup Metro, Goalpara) faces siltation, floods, and ecological imbalance. |
| USTM Area | Located on Assam–Meghalaya border, part of fragile hill ecosystem. |
🧠 Prelims Pointers
USTM: Private university in Ri-Bhoi district, Meghalaya, close to Assam border.
Meghalaya Mining Issues: Rat-hole coal mining banned by SC in 2014 (Environmental & Human Rights grounds).
Hills in Context: Khasi–Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya plateau extension into Assam).
Legal Framework:
Environment Protection Act, 1986
Forest Conservation Act, 1980
SC judgments: T.N. Godavarman v. Union of India (forest conservation), Meghalaya coal mining ban (2014).
Assam Impact Areas: Guwahati artificial floods, Deepor Beel Ramsar site siltation, Kopili–Digaru rivers’ flow changes.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Importance of the Issue
Judicial Intervention – Upholds rule of law where state action was weak.
Environmental Protection – Aims at restoring degraded ecosystems.
Assam’s Ecological Security – Prevents cross-border siltation and flash floods.
Precedent Value – May guide similar cases across NE India.
B. Challenges
Weak Enforcement – Local authorities often fail to prevent illegal mining.
Livelihood Dependence – Quarrying/mining provides jobs for many in border villages.
Cross-Border Coordination – Assam–Meghalaya disputes complicate enforcement.
Climate Sensitivity – Heavy rainfall accelerates erosion & landslide risks.
Political Economy – Powerful local interests linked to illegal mining.
C. Government & Judicial Initiatives
Meghalaya Mining Ban (2014) – SC prohibited rat-hole coal mining.
Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA) – Used for degraded land restoration.
North East Green Corridor Plan – Central govt’s afforestation push along highways.
ASDMA & Assam Forest Dept. – Highlighted cross-border impacts on Deepor Beel and Bharalu Basin.
Supreme Court Committees – Monitoring environmental degradation in NE.
D. Way Forward
Joint Assam–Meghalaya Task Force – Coordinate monitoring and action.
Community Participation – Eco-restoration with livelihood alternatives (eco-tourism, agroforestry).
Strict Monitoring – Satellite/GIS-based tracking of hill cutting and quarrying.
Green Buffer Zones – Eco-sensitive zones around universities, wetlands, and border hills.
Alternative Livelihoods – Skill development, sustainable mining alternatives.
Judicial Oversight – Regular SC monitoring reports to ensure compliance.
🧩 Conclusion
The SC panel’s order on restoring the USTM hill area into forest land is a timely intervention against unsustainable mining and hill cutting in Meghalaya. It also highlights how ecological damage transcends political boundaries, directly impacting Assam’s environment. Long-term resolution requires judicial vigilance, inter-state cooperation, and community-driven restoration for ensuring ecological security of the Northeast.
💰 SLBC Meeting on Credit Flow & Financial Inclusion in Assam
📘 GS Paper II – Governance (Financial Inclusion, Welfare Delivery)
📘 GS Paper III – Economy (Banking, Priority Sector Lending)
📘 GS Paper V – Assam-specific Economy
🔹 Introduction
The State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) meeting in Assam (Sept 2025) highlighted issues of credit flow, priority sector lending, and financial inclusion. Banks are mandated to support agriculture, MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, and weaker sections, but credit-deposit ratios in Assam remain below the national average. This gap impacts employment generation, rural growth, and equitable development.
🔑 Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
| Institution | SLBC – apex inter-institutional forum at state level to review banking development. |
| Participants | Banks, RBI, NABARD, State Govt officials. |
| Agenda (2025 meeting) | Improving credit flow in Assam, reviewing performance in priority sectors, financial inclusion targets. |
| CD Ratio (Credit-Deposit) | Assam’s CD ratio ~45% vs national avg ~75% (2025 est.). |
| Priority Sectors | Agriculture, MSMEs, housing, education, renewable energy. |
| Challenges | Poor penetration in tea-garden & tribal areas, low digital literacy, collateral issues. |
🧠 Prelims Pointers
SLBC: Chaired by state’s lead bank; mandated by RBI for state-level banking coordination.
Credit-Deposit Ratio (CD Ratio): Indicator of how much of deposits mobilised are deployed as credit (ideal >60%).
Priority Sector Lending (PSL): RBI mandate – 40% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit to sectors like agriculture, MSMEs, education, housing.
NABARD: Apex development bank for rural & agricultural credit.
Jan Dhan Yojana (2014): World’s largest financial inclusion scheme; over 52 crore accounts opened (2025).
Kisan Credit Card (KCC): Ensures working capital for farmers.
Digital Push: UPI, Aadhaar-enabled Payment Systems (AePS) increasingly popular in Assam.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Importance of Financial Inclusion in Assam
Agricultural Economy – ~70% population dependent on farming.
MSME Support – Handloom, handicraft, and small industries need credit.
Women Empowerment – SHGs under NRLM require easy access to credit.
Regional Equity – Inclusion reduces dependence on moneylenders in tea gardens & char areas.
Employment Generation – Credit boosts entrepreneurship & start-ups.
Welfare Delivery – Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) relies on banking penetration.
B. Challenges in Assam
Low CD Ratio – Banks reluctant due to NPA fears.
Geographical Barriers – Remote char areas, hilly terrain, flood-prone zones.
Low Financial Literacy – Especially among women & tribal populations.
Infrastructure Deficits – Limited bank branches/ATMs in rural areas.
Digital Divide – Patchy internet connectivity restricts fintech penetration.
Credit Risk – Natural disasters like floods make banks cautious in lending.
C. Government & RBI Initiatives
PMJDY – Universal bank accounts, RuPay cards, insurance.
Financial Literacy Centres (FLCs) – Bank-led awareness drives.
Mudra Yojana – Loans to small entrepreneurs.
Stand-Up India – Credit for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
Digital India Push – UPI, AePS, rural internet expansion.
NABARD RIDF – Rural Infrastructure Development Fund supports state projects.
Assam Govt Schemes – Orunodoi (DBT), Assam Start-up Policy, SHG-Bank Linkage Programme.
D. Way Forward
Improve CD Ratio – Special RBI monitoring & targets for Assam.
Strengthen SHG–Bank Linkages – Increase women’s access to institutional credit.
Expand Digital Banking – Promote UPI, mobile wallets in rural Assam.
Disaster-Resilient Lending – Crop insurance, credit guarantee funds.
Capacity Building – Financial literacy campaigns in tea gardens & char areas.
Public–Private Partnerships – Collaborate with fintech startups for last-mile delivery.
🧩 Conclusion
The SLBC meeting in Assam underscores the urgent need to bridge the credit gap and strengthen financial inclusion. By improving CD ratio, digital banking, and credit outreach, Assam can unlock its entrepreneurial potential, empower vulnerable communities, and integrate itself more strongly into India’s growth story.
👩⚕️ ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’ – Women’s Health Campaign at AIIMS Guwahati
📘 GS Paper II – Health, Women & Child Development, Governance
📘 GS Paper V – Assam-specific: Public Health & Women Empowerment
🔹 Introduction
On 18 Sept 2025, the Assam Government, in collaboration with AIIMS Guwahati, launched the ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’ (Healthy Woman, Empowered Family Campaign). The initiative focuses on preventive healthcare for women, with special emphasis on maternal health, reproductive health, anaemia control, breast & cervical cancer screening, and mental health. It aligns with National Health Mission (NHM) and Poshan Abhiyaan, aiming to reduce Assam’s high maternal mortality and women’s health burden.
🔑 Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
| Launch | Assam CM & Union Health Ministry at AIIMS Guwahati |
| Focus Areas | Anaemia control, menstrual hygiene, cancer screening, maternal & mental health |
| Target Group | Women (adolescent to elderly), esp. rural & tea garden workers |
| Service Mode | Health camps, telemedicine, AIIMS Guwahati outreach teams |
| Partnerships | Assam Health Dept, AIIMS Guwahati, NHM Assam, local NGOs |
| Outcome Goal | Reduce MMR, improve early detection of NCDs, empower women health literacy |
🧠 Prelims Pointers
Assam’s MMR (2020–22 SRS): 118 (better than 215 in 2016–18 but still higher than national average of 97).
Anaemia in Assam (NFHS-5): 66% women (15–49 yrs) anaemic – among the highest in India.
Poshan Abhiyaan (2018): Aim – improve nutrition outcomes for children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women.
Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA): Free antenatal care for pregnant women.
National Programme for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS).
AIIMS Guwahati (est. 2020): Key tertiary health institute for NE region.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Importance of the Abhiyan
Maternal Health – Assam has historically had one of India’s highest MMR.
Anaemia Crisis – Widespread malnutrition and iron-deficiency anaemia.
Cancer Burden – Cervical and breast cancer are leading killers among women in NE.
Mental Health – High stress and depression among women in rural and tea-garden areas.
Family Health Link – Women’s health directly influences child survival, nutrition, and family well-being.
B. Challenges
Cultural Taboos – Stigma around menstruation, reproductive health.
Healthcare Access – Limited PHCs and specialists in remote areas.
Awareness Gap – Low health literacy among rural women.
Work Burden – Tea-garden & rural women often prioritise work over health check-ups.
Resource Constraints – Shortage of trained gynaecologists, oncologists, counsellors.
Infrastructure – Weak referral linkages between villages and tertiary centres.
C. Government Initiatives in Context
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): Conditional cash transfer for institutional deliveries.
Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Free maternity services.
Ayushman Bharat – HWCs & PMJAY: Expanded coverage for women’s health.
Poshan Maah (Sept) – Nutrition awareness campaigns.
Assam Govt. Initiatives: Orunodoi scheme includes nutrition component; tea-garden women targeted under health & nutrition drives.
D. Way Forward
Strengthen PHCs – Women-friendly infrastructure & trained gynaecologists.
Mobile Health Units – Outreach to tea-garden & char areas.
Digital Health – Telemedicine through ABDM (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission).
Health Education – School-based awareness on anaemia, menstrual hygiene.
Community Involvement – Engage SHGs & ASHAs as health ambassadors.
Integrated Approach – Combine nutrition, mental health, and cancer screening under one umbrella.
🧩 Conclusion
The ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’ is a vital step towards gender-sensitive healthcare in Assam. By addressing anaemia, maternal mortality, cancer, and mental health, the programme seeks to empower women and strengthen family well-being. Its success, however, will depend on last-mile delivery, cultural acceptance, and sustained investment in public health infrastructure.
🌍 Quake Preparedness in Assam – Kopili Fault Zone Lessons
📘 GS Paper I – Geography (Natural Hazards, Geomorphology)
📘 GS Paper III – Disaster Management, Infrastructure
📘 GS Paper V – Assam-specific: Seismic Risks
🔹 Introduction
On 18 Sept 2025, Assam authorities reviewed earthquake preparedness in light of tremors from the Kopili Fault zone, which has witnessed recurrent seismic activity, including the 5.8 magnitude quake on 15 Sept 2025. Assam lies in Seismic Zone V (highest risk category), making quake resilience critical for its infrastructure, urban centres, and vulnerable rural settlements.
🔑 Key Points
| Aspect | Details |
| Kopili Fault Zone | Seismically active area along Assam–Meghalaya–Arunachal border (Nagaon, Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong, Sonitpur). |
| Recent Tremor | 5.8 magnitude (Sept 2025); earlier 6.4 magnitude in April 2021 (Sonitpur). |
| Seismic Risk | Entire NE in Seismic Zone V; prone to high-intensity earthquakes. |
| Causes | Tectonic collision of Indian & Eurasian plates; NE is part of Alpine-Himalayan Seismic Belt. |
| Vulnerabilities | Weak soil, unplanned urbanisation, fragile hills, dams & hydropower projects. |
| Disaster History | 1897 Great Assam Earthquake (8.7), 1950 Assam–Tibet Earthquake (8.6). |
🧠 Prelims Pointers
Seismic Zones in India: Zone II (low) → Zone V (highest risk). NE states fall in Zone V.
Kopili Fault: Tectonic fault line running across Assam–Arunachal–Meghalaya; NE India’s most active.
Great Assam Earthquake (1897): Epicentre near Shillong Plateau; caused massive devastation.
1950 Assam–Tibet Quake: World’s largest recorded intra-continental earthquake.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): Nodal body for disaster preparedness.
Building Codes: IS 1893 (seismic design), IS 4326 (earthquake-resistant construction).
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA): State-level body for preparedness.
📝 Mains Pointers
A. Importance of Quake Preparedness
High Vulnerability – Assam + NE are India’s most seismically sensitive region.
Urbanisation Risk – Guwahati, Tezpur, Dibrugarh growing with poor structural safety.
Critical Infrastructure – Hydropower dams (Subansiri, Kopili) and bridges at high risk.
Population Density – Tea gardens, char areas, urban settlements highly exposed.
Historical Precedence – Past mega-quakes prove inevitability of future events.
B. Challenges
Weak Compliance – Building codes often ignored in towns & villages.
Unplanned Growth – Encroachment on hills, floodplains, fragile soil zones.
Low Awareness – Community preparedness remains poor.
Infrastructure Fragility – Schools, hospitals, bridges vulnerable.
Monitoring Gaps – Limited seismic stations in NE compared to seismic risk.
C. Government Initiatives in Context
National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (NERMP) – Strengthening buildings, capacity building.
NDMA Guidelines (2007) – Earthquake-resistant construction codes.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) – Seismic zoning maps, building norms.
State Action – ASDMA conducting mock drills, awareness drives.
Seismic Stations – IMD expanding monitoring network in NE.
D. Way Forward
Strict Enforcement of Codes – Mandate earthquake-resistant designs in all new constructions.
Retrofitting – Strengthen schools, hospitals, bridges, lifeline buildings.
Early Warning Systems – Expand seismic stations & integrate with disaster communication networks.
Community Preparedness – Mass awareness campaigns, earthquake drills in schools.
Urban Planning – Avoid construction on seismic fault zones & fragile hills.
Research & Monitoring – Collaboration with IIT Guwahati, NGRI, international seismology institutes.
🧩 Conclusion
The Kopili Fault zone tremors are a stark reminder of Assam’s seismic fragility. Preparedness must go beyond paper guidelines—requiring strict enforcement of building codes, resilient infrastructure, and citizen awareness. With proactive measures, Assam can reduce the risk of turning future quakes into catastrophic disasters.gement, health infrastructure strengthening, and community participation—so that Assam can move towards a JE-free status, ensuring both health security and socio-economic resilience.h livelihood and ecological concerns will be key to making the border a zone of peace and prosperity.th ecological sustainability will be the true test of success.
APSC Prelims Practice Questions
Topic 1 – Guwahati Hill Encroachment, Landslides & Artificial Floods
Q1. Which of the following correctly explains the cause of artificial floods in Guwahati?
- Heavy rainfall causing overflow of Brahmaputra.
- Encroachment and blockage of natural drainage channels.
- Hill cutting leading to slope destabilisation.
- Shrinking of wetlands like Deepor Beel.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2, 3 and 4 only
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
👉 Answer: (b)
Explanation: Artificial floods in Guwahati are man-made, due to blocked drains, hill cutting, and wetland shrinkage, not Brahmaputra overflow (that causes flash floods).
Q2. The Bharalu River, often in news in Guwahati flood context, is a tributary of:
a) Kolong
b) Kopili
c) Brahmaputra
d) Digaru
👉 Answer: (c)
Topic 2 – SC Panel on USTM & Meghalaya Hill Cutting
Q3. The Supreme Court banned rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya primarily because:
a) It violated labour laws.
b) It caused severe environmental degradation and human rights violations.
c) It was economically unviable.
d) It fell under Schedule VI area restrictions.
👉 Answer: (b)
Q4. Which of the following environmental impacts of hill cutting/mining in Meghalaya affect Assam downstream?
- Increased siltation of rivers and wetlands.
- Artificial flooding in Guwahati.
- Threat to Deepor Beel Ramsar site.
- Enhanced seismic activity in Kopili Fault zone.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 2, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
👉 Answer: (b)
Explanation: Mining causes siltation, floods, and wetland damage, but does not directly trigger seismic activity.
Topic 3 – SLBC Meeting: Credit Flow & Financial Inclusion in Assam
Q5. Which of the following best explains the Credit-Deposit (CD) Ratio in banking?
a) The ratio of loans given to total priority sector loans.
b) The ratio of bank advances to total deposits mobilised.
c) The ratio of savings deposits to current deposits.
d) The ratio of central bank reserves to bank liabilities.
👉 Answer: (b)
Q6. Which of the following schemes are related to financial inclusion in Assam?
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
- MUDRA Yojana
- Stand-Up India
- Orunodoi Scheme
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
d) 2, 3 and 4 only
👉 Answer: (c)
Explanation: PMJDY, MUDRA, and Stand-Up India are national schemes; Orunodoi is Assam’s DBT scheme contributing to inclusion.
Topic 4 – Women’s Health Campaign (‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’)
Q7. According to NFHS-5 (2019–21), which state had the highest prevalence of anaemia among women (15–49 yrs)?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Assam
c) Bihar
d) Gujarat
👉 Answer: (b)
Explanation: Assam recorded ~66% prevalence, one of the highest in India.
Q8. Which of the following national programmes focus directly on women’s reproductive and maternal health?
- Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)
- Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)
- Poshan Abhiyaan
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
👉 Answer: (c)
Explanation: RBSK targets children, not maternal health directly.
Topic 5 – Quake Preparedness in Assam (Kopili Fault)
Q9. The Kopili Fault zone, frequently in news, is associated with which geological setting?
a) Indo-Australian & Pacific Plate interaction
b) Indian Plate subduction under Eurasian Plate
c) African Plate drift
d) Arabian Sea Ridge
👉 Answer: (b)
Q10. Which of the following major earthquakes are correctly matched with their year?
- Great Assam Earthquake – 1897
- Assam–Tibet Earthquake – 1950
- Bhuj Earthquake – 2001
- Nepal Earthquake – 2011
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1, 2 and 4 only
c) 1, 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
👉 Answer: (a)
Explanation: Nepal’s big quake was in 2015, not 2011.
Explanation: JE is endemic in eastern & northeastern India (Assam, Bihar, UP, Odisha, WB), not arid states.
APSC Mains Practice Question
📝 Model Answer
Q. “Urban floods in Guwahati are increasingly man-made disasters linked to hill encroachment and unplanned growth. Discuss the causes, impacts, and measures needed for sustainable urban resilience in Assam’s capital city.”
(GS Paper I – Geography | GS Paper II – Governance | GS Paper III – Disaster Management | GS Paper V – Assam-specific)
🔹 Introduction
Urban floods are no longer rare in Indian cities, but Guwahati’s case is particularly alarming. Surrounded by fragile hills and wetlands, the city faces recurrent landslides and waterlogging even after moderate rainfall. This is largely due to illegal encroachment on hills, drainage obstruction, and loss of wetlands, making floods in Guwahati a human-induced ecological disaster.
🔹 Causes of Urban Floods in Guwahati
- Hill Encroachment & Cutting – Destabilises slopes, increases silt run-off, causing both floods and landslides.
- Drainage Blockage – Encroachment of nallas and Bharalu–Bahini river system by settlements and waste dumping.
- Wetland Shrinkage – Deepor Beel, Silsako Beel, and other wetlands filled up for real estate.
- Unplanned Urbanisation – Master Plan outdated; haphazard housing, slums on fragile slopes.
- Climate Change – Intense, short-duration rainfall events intensifying floods.
- Governance Gaps – Weak enforcement of GMDA regulations and politically-backed encroachments.
🔹 Impacts
- Human Costs – Annual loss of lives in landslides (e.g., Kahilipara, Anil Nagar).
- Economic Loss – Damage to property, transport disruptions, increased healthcare costs.
- Public Health – Waterlogging fosters vector-borne diseases like dengue and Japanese Encephalitis.
- Ecological Damage – Wetland ecosystems, migratory bird habitats like Deepor Beel under threat.
- Urban Inequality – Poor and slum dwellers most vulnerable to evictions and disasters.
🔹 Government & Judicial Efforts
- Eviction Drives – Periodic removal of illegal settlements on hills/wetlands.
- Smart City Mission – Stormwater drainage upgrades in selected localities.
- Deepor Beel Protection Plan – Attempts to revive the Ramsar site.
- Disaster Management Plans – ASDMA’s community awareness & flood drills.
- Judicial Oversight – Gauhati High Court ordered stricter action against hill cutting.
🔹 Way Forward
- Strict Land Use Enforcement – Ban on hill cutting & wetland encroachment with political accountability.
- Drainage Revival – Reopen natural nallas and unclog Bharalu–Bahini river channels.
- Afforestation & Bio-engineering – Reforest hills; use geotextiles and retaining walls for slope stability.
- Urban Planning Reform – Update Guwahati Master Plan (2035) with climate resilience integrated.
- Inclusive Housing Policy – Provide affordable housing to slum dwellers to reduce pressure on fragile areas.
- Citizen Engagement – Awareness campaigns for waste disposal, flood preparedness.
- Technology Integration – Use GIS mapping, drones to track encroachment and rainfall-runoff models for early warning.
🔹 Conclusion
The floods and landslides of Guwahati are not natural inevitabilities but outcomes of neglect, weak governance, and ecological shortsightedness. A shift towards sustainable urban planning, strict enforcement, and participatory governance can turn Guwahati into a climate-resilient city, safeguarding both its people and its fragile hill-wetland ecosystem.or sustainable development.
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