GUWAHATI: As campaigning for the June 19 Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) election gains momentum, the politicians have received several appeals from the residents of the Kamakhya area not to encroach upon the areas surrounding the Nilachal hills. The famed Kamakhya temple is located on the Nilachal Hills.

The rampant encroachment, which has led to frequent landslides over the past few years, and several houses being constructed in an unscientific manner are the main problems to which the voters have sought solutions for. The Kamakhya area falls under GMC ward number 4, where the main contest in between Congress and BJP.

The Nilachal Hill is home to about 6,000 people, including about 1,000 encroachers. Out of 16,542 voters in this ward, Nilachal Hill has about 3,000 voters, comprising legal residents and encroachers.

"We are concerned about the encroachment in the hill, especially in the western part. Several illegal settlers have occupied areas around Barah Kund. Hence, we want candidates in the poll fray to assure us that all illegal settlements in the Nilachal Hills will be cleared after the election," said Pranjal Sarma, a businessman, who lives on the Kamakhya temple premises.

The elected representatives of the GMC should press the authorities for better transport facilities to the temple, he said.

"Lack of enough public transport facilities in the evening inconveniences us."

Temple authorities want candidates to take a firm stand to make the Ambubachi celebrations - the biggest religious festival at the temple - hassle-free for thousands of devotees.

The festival will begin on June 22.

"Though, we have a water treatment plant of the GMC here, residents of the temple area don't get uninterrupted water supply. Several times, potable water from the water treatment plant are carried away to other areas of the city, depriving the locals," said Naba Kanta Sarma, general secretary of the Kamakhya Debutter Board.

He appealed to the candidates to repair street lights along the road that leads to the temple. He also appealed for better arrangement of toilet facilities for devotees during the festival.