Sonowal visits flood-hit Goalpara, over 3.81 lakh people affected in Assam

Sonowal said that the state government would deal with the prevailing flood situation in pursuance of the new relief manual which would strengthen state government’s efforts to give relief and respite to the flood victims as well as fighting with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sonowal said that in view of the prevailing flood which has affected as many as 11 districts, the state government would reach out to the flood affected people with the new relief manual which would also help the state government to battle against novel Coronavirus pandemic.

The Assam Chief Minister visited temporary relief camps set up at Agia Balijana Girls High School and Dwarka Primary School and interacted with the camp inmates there.

He directed the Deputy Commissioner to provide adequate and good quality facilities like food, drinking water and medical help.

“Doctors should be visiting the relief centres and provide medical attention to the inmates present there. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic where in social distancing is regarded as the golden deterrent to keep the virus at bay, district administration should ensure strict adherence to the social distancing norms in the relief camps,” Sonowal said.

He however hailed the facilities made available in the relief camps including adherence of social distancing norms in the camps.

Sonowal visited integrated child development project office and took stock of the facilities put up for the children who are staying at the relief camps and talked to the ASHA workers and lauded their relentless services that they are rendering when the State is going through challenges like flood and erosion and Coronavirus pandemic.

Sonowal also visited the Agia-Lakhipur State Highway-12, a portion of which was completely washed away by the flood. He took stock of the extent of damage and asked the concerned officials to restore communication through that portion on a war-footing and repair the bridge part.

The Assam Chief Minister went to a quarantine centre set up at Ayurvedic Hospital, Dudhnoi during his visit to the district.

Moreover, the Assam Chief Minister also handed over cheques amounting to Rs 4 lakh each to the next of the kin of the four deceased who lost their lives during the flood.

Sonowal urged upon the Deputy Commissioner and other functionaries to work in such a way so that Goalpara can set a model in the fight against flood and novel Coronavirus.

He asked the power department to foresee any danger and work accordingly to avert electrocuted death during flood.

Sonowal directed all officials to work relentlessly so that the fruits of governance can reach to all sections of the people equally and to ensure that the prevailing situation does not create inequality and exclusion among the people.

“In this extraordinary situation when the State is bearing the brunt of flood as well as COVID-19 pandemic, everybody should work as a Team and help the people to get rid of this situation. In the absence of any antidote to fight against Coronavirus, social distancing is the only means through which human lives can be saved and appealed to the media persons to generate awareness so that people adhere to social distancing norms in the fight against novel Coronavirus,” Sonowal said.

The flood situation in Assam remained grim as over 3.81 lakh people of seven districts of the state have been affected in the flood.

On Friday, two people were drowned in flood waters in Goalpara and Hojai district and death toll has increased to five.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), two persons drowned in flood waters at Lakhipur area in Goalpara district and Doboka area in Hojai district.

Over 3.81 lakh people of 356 villages in 11 revenue circles in Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaon, Hojai, West Karbi Anglong, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts have been affected in the first spate of floods in the state.

Nearly 22,000 people have taken shelter at 190 relief camps set by the administration in the flood affected districts.

On the other hand, the flood waters have submerged 24,755 hectares crop areas.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)