Guwahati: A 30-year-old worker of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) water wing was discovered dead inside a filter tank at the Satpukhuri treatment plant, located near the Lok Bhawan, police confirmed on Friday. The body was recovered from the filter tank, where water undergoes filtration after treatment before being sent to the reservoir for supply.
Identity of the Deceased
The deceased has been identified as Jame Kashem. Authorities have detained three other GMC workers who were on duty alongside the deceased on Thursday night at the plant for further investigation.
Police Response
Latasil police station Officer-in-Charge Jyotishman Neog stated, “A police team reached the plant soon after Raj Bhawan security officials informed us about the incident. The body was recovered around 8 pm on Thursday and sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy.” He added that an investigation has been initiated to determine how the individual fell into the filter tank or if any foul play is involved.
GMC Source Comments
A source from the GMC water supply wing mentioned, “The deceased was a worker of GMC’s water wing. However, it is yet to be confirmed if he was on duty on Thursday night.” The source further noted that after the body was recovered, operations at the treatment plant were halted. “The filter tank will now be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised before operations resume. This may affect water supply in some parts of the city. However, the impact will be minimal as the Guwahati Jal Board now supplies water to a large portion of the city. Under government policy, GMC has withdrawn water supply in many areas after the Jal Board began supplying water under the South Central Guwahati water project,” the source added.
History and Capacity of the Plant
The Satpukhuri water treatment plant is approximately 96 years old. It was commissioned in 1930 and subsequently renovated in 1984. The designed capacity of the water treatment plant was 22.5 million litres per day (MLD), which has now declined to about 15 MLD. This plant serves several areas, including Uzan Bazar, Kharghuli, Chenikuthi, Guwahati Club, Silpukhuri, Nabagraha, Dighalipukhuri, Nizarapar, Chandmari, Hedayetpur, Milanpur, Bamunimaidam, and Rajgarh Road. The reservoir of the Satpukhuri water treatment plant is located atop Navagraha hill, from where water is supplied to these regions.
