Guwahati, Jul 21 (PTI) The Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) was demolished on Monday to free Silsako Beel (lake) in Guwahati city, officials said.

The administration is eyeing to clear the natural waterbody from various structures, both private and government, to mitigate flood problems in the state capital, said Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah.

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"This is a difficult yet necessary decision. While IHM has served the city in the education sector, the pressing need to safeguard Guwahati from devastating floods demands urgent action. We are acting for the greater good of the city's future," he told reporters here.

The IHM, a central government institute and spread over 15 bighas (almost five acres), is being relocated to a temporary building on GS Road, Baruah said.

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"We have allotted 30 bighas (almost 10 acres) to IHM in Sonapur area. We will construct their infrastructure and hand it over to the institute," he added.

Baruah said that eviction and clearance work at IHM marks an important development in making the 800-bigha reservoir project at Silsakoo, envisioned to address the city's chronic urban flooding.

Demolition of the IHM campus started with classroom blocks. Hostel structures and other ancillary facilities will be dismantled in the coming days, he added.

"This is the largest single institutional demolition within the reservoir zone. We aim to complete the process within 15 days, carrying out shifting and demolition simultaneously," he said.

Earlier, the government had evicted the Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKDISCD) and Institute of Cooperative Management (ICM) from Silsako Beel.

"The remaining two facilities -- one tennis court and Ginger hotel -- will also be evicted from the location. We are in discussion with them right now," the minister said.

He said the reservoir site, spread across approximately 800 bighas (over 264 acres), is expected to be excavated during the upcoming dry season.

The government in 2008 had declared Silsako Beel, surrounded by Chachal, Hengerabari, Pathar Quarry and Satgaon areas, a protected waterbody in Guwahati through an Act and prohibited any construction or settlement in around 1,800 bighas (over 595 acres) of lake area.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)