Assam faces two major problems relating to water that run counter to each other. By and large, in the State as a whole, the water table is reported to be rising, so that there is the possibility of the State turning into a vast swamp in the not-too-distant future. However, this is likely to be something that might happen to the rural areas, while the urban areas are likely to witness a lowering of the water table due to excessive pressure on the water resources. So we are likely to have a situation where the water problem of the rural areas will be diametrically opposite to that of the urban areas. And as far as Guwahati is concerned, one can already see the grave water crisis that stares us in the face due to the water table receding at a very rapid rate with the unchecked construction of hundreds of high-rise apartments...editorial