ChapterIII(a) - Pollution Control Board, Assam

EIA Report Proposed INDAdept G Project – Guwahati Refinery Chapter 3The Basistha riverThe Brahmaputra RiverUrban built up is mainly concentrated towards the south bank of the Brahmaputra river atthe western and middle portion of the study area. Urban built up (less dense) is mainlyconcentrated in the north bank of the river towards North Guwahati and also towards the eastof the study area around Panikhaiti. Hilly settlement has mainly developed at the centre of thecity where the open forests are totally destroyed due to the continuous urban developmentwithin the hilly forest.Spotted built up has developed on the hills after clearing of open forests in patches. Out ofthe total study area, Urban Built up covers 33% of the area, Hilly settlement covers 6%whereas hilly settlement within the open forest covers 8% of the study area. Overall theHuman settlement covers ~45 % of the study area.ForestsIn the study area, the forests cover approximately 62 sq km of the area excluding the openforests covered by the settlement. The forest cover is classified as Open forest and Denseforest and also as Open forest with hilly settlement. Open forest is the forest dominated bytress where forest canopy is sparse and not continuous, allowing sunlight to reach the groundwithin the forest. Open forest covers only 1% of the area and are found in the isolated formtowards the north bank of the Brahmaputra River near Ashwaklanta, near Opar Kurua andSuktaguri. Most open forests are covered by sparse human settlements categorized as Openforest with hilly settlement. Dense forests are the forests where the tree canopy is very denseand compact; do not allow the sunlight to pass through it. Dense forest covers 19% of thearea. The dense forest areas in the South and the East are parts of Khanapara Reserve Forest,32