Assam flood situation turns more worsen, death toll rise to 24

The current spate of flood inducted 32,148 hactares agricultural land in Assam and claimed 24 lives so far.

According to the reports of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), over 4.25 lakh people of 17 districts are affected in the current flood.

On Friday, three more persons including a minor girl lost their lives after they drowning in flood waters in Nalbari, Karimganj and South Salmara district and the death toll rose to 24.

A top official of ASDMA said that, a total of 4,25,764 people of 1037 villages of 17 districts are affected till Friday.

“Over 1.60 lakh affected alone in Karimganj district, while 77,974 people affected in Lakhimpur, 50,521 in Golaghat, 31,264 in Cachar, 21,364 in Barpeta district,” the government official said.

On the other hand, Assam forest department has introduced Time Report Card at National Highway 37 in Kaziranga National Park to control speed of all type of vehicles for protecting wild animals following flood waters submerged over 75 per cent areas of the park.

“Most of wild animals have taken shelter in nearby Karbi Anglong hills area by crossing the highway following the critical flood situation. In view of the current spate of flood in Kaziranga, we have introduced Time Report Card at night to control speed of the vehicles,” Assam forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma said.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday directed ministers of his cabinet to immediately rush to affected areas to take stock of flood situation and step up relief and rescue operations ensuring proper arrangement of facilities for flood affected and relief camp inmates.

Sonowal directed this while reviewing state flood situation in a meeting held at Brahmaputra State Guest House in Guwahati which was attended by several ministers of his cabinet.

As per Chief Minister’s direction while Agriculture Minister Atul Bora will visit Sivasagar, Golaghat and Jorhat, Environment & Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma will go to South Salmara and Goalpara. Water Resouces Minister Keshav Mahanta was directed to visit Nagaon, Morigaon and Hojai, PWD Minister Parimal Suklabaidya to visit all districts of Barak valley, Irrigation Minister Ranjit Dutta and Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley to visit Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath and Majuli, PHE Minister Rihon Daimary and Revenue Minister Pallab Lochan Das to visit all the districts of lower Assam.

The Assam CM directed the ministers to assess the damage caused by flood & erosion and also to interact with the affected and take stock of their needs and grievances.

Sonowal further referred to the difficulties faced by people due to potholes on roads and directed the PWD Minister to complete repairing of all roads of the state within the month of July, 2017.

Keeping in view the damages caused by erosion during flood, the Chief Minister directed the Water Resources Minister to take necessary steps including ensuring availability of anti-erosion materials for prompt action at affected sites.

He also directed the WR Minister to take measures for procurement of dredger for excavation of river bed apart from preparing plan for anti-erosion adopting latest technology.

State Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary. WR Minister Keshav Mahanta, PWD Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, PHE Minister Rihon Daimary, Irrigation Minister Ranjit Dutta, Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley, Revenue Minister Pallab Lochan Das, Chief Minister’s Media Adviser Hrishikesh Goswami, MLA Bimal Bora, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Principal Secretary to CM Sanjay Lohia, senior officers of Revenue and Disaster Management Department and Water Resources Department were present in the meeting.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)