Assam: Net cover over river near IPL venue grabs eyeballs

Guwahati: Days after the first IPL match of the northeast was played in Assam’s Guwahati, attention has turned towards a blue net covering a stretch of a river close to the cricket stadium, with locals claiming it to be an effort to conceal filth.

The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), however, has maintained that the agricultural net covering a stretch of the Mora Bharalu river, which runs close to the ACA Stadium, is aimed at controlling “mosquitoe menace”.

“GMC is trying to ensure that our guests aren’t bothered by the mosquitoe menace,” it wrote on Twitter.

The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) Stadium is the second ‘home’ venue of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals. The Royals played against the Punjab Kings here on Wednesday, and the second match is with Delhi Capitals on Saturday.

A number of local residents claimed that the net was used to cover the ‘black river’. “What a master stroke! The dirty Bharalu River has been covered so that IPL players do not see the black river @guwahaticity ... Kuch to dhang ka koro sarkar (sic)!” a local journalist tweeted.

Congress leader and Guwahati resident Bobbeeta Sharma said on the micro-blogging site: “Difficult situations! Sweep it under the carpet! Pretend it is not there! Pathetic!” Goutam Das, a resident of Ganeshpara area where the stadium is located, told PTI that the net was used at least twice earlier.

“It was done when an international cricket match was played here in January this year. And again, during the A R Rahman concert in February,” Das claimed.

“Very few residents here use the GMC garbage truck facility, which is available to pick trash at rate of Rs 50 per month per household. Most of them just throw it into the river,” he added.

Countering the allegations, an ACA official said GMC provides support during matches and other events at the stadium here, with fogging being one of the services.

“It was found that even after prolonged fogging and cleaning of the premises, mosquitoes continued to create menace. GMC detected the Mora Bharalu river as the source, and as an additional measure to control this problem for players as well as spectators, they have covered the river. The water is also treated with chemicals to check mosquitoe breeding,” he explained.