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Life limps back to normalcy in flood-hit Assam
While road and rail connectivity is being restored, over two lakh people are still sheltered in relief camps
Ratnadip Choudhury
Guwahati
Life in Assam is slowly returning to normalcy. As per official sources, at least 85 people have died in the last fortnight, and the unofficial death toll is around 100. Sixteen persons were killed in landslides and ten others are missing and feared dead.
While the movement of traffic could be facilitated in some roads of Upper Assam, most of the rail connectivity has been restored across the state barring the Lumding–Badarpur section that has been badly damaged at several places due to heavy landslides.
People who were housed at relief camps have started to move back to their villages as flood water is receding with a gradual decrease of water level in the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. As this report is being filed, over 1000 villages remain inundated and around 70 revenue circles are witnessing flood like situation. More than two lakh people are still sheltered in relief camps, while complaints of relief measures not reaching many affected areas continue to surface.
Mitigating floods and erosion will be the top priority: Tarun Gogoi
State govt asks for Rs 11,316 crore Central assistance for immediate and mid-term relief and rescue measures
Ratnadip Choudhury
Guwahati
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The floods have left 77 dead and rendered over 20 lakh people homeless in Assam
Photos: Ujjal Deb |
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Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has said that mitigating floods and soil erosion in the state will be the top priority of his government. Gogoi, on Tuesday 2 July, said the government will seek help from international experts, to set up a government mechanism to combat natural calamities. Gogoi added that he will continue to ask that the Centre declare the Assam floods a national disaster and allocate more funds for relief and rehabilitation.
As the water levels of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries are receding, the flood’s death toll is on the rise as more bodies are recovered. Assam government puts the toll at 79, while unofficial sources say 110 people have lost their lives in the flood and 16 more have been killed due to landslides.
“Our aim is to mitigate hardships with the help of the latest international technology. I have discussed this with experts during my recent visit to the United States. We want to channelise and reclaim land lost in the Brahmaputra.” Gogoi told the media in Guwahati on Tuesday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who took stock of the flood situation on Monday had granted Assam an ad hoc relief package of 500 Crore. Assam has asked Central assistance to the tune of Rs 11,316 crore for immediate and mid-term measures for flood control and relief and rescue.
Meanwhile, a Central team is visiting flood affected areas of to evaluate the damage. Over 4.84 lakh people have taken shelter in 768 relief camps across Assam.
Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi visit flood affected Upper Assam
Prime Minister announces Rs 500 crore relief package for the state
Ratnadip Choudhury
Guwahati
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Manmohan Singh (left) and Tarun Gogoi conducting an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas on 2 July |
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi flew to Upper Assam, on Monday 2 July, and conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas. The floods have left 77 dead and rendered over 20 lakh people homeless. The Prime Minister announced a Rs 500 crore relief package for Assam. This also comes as a face saver for the ruling Congress party in Assam after it was flayed by the opposition and the civil society of failing to develop a proper flood mitigation and rehabilitation policy.
However, to the dismay of the people of Assam, the floods have not been declared a national calamity yet. The Prime Minister accompanied by the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi landed at the Rowriah airport in Jorhat of Upper Assam on Monday morning. They were met by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and former Union Minister Bijoy Krishna Handique.
A high level delegation from New Delhi also accompanied the Prime Minister. Around 11.30am, three Indian Air force choppers carrying the Prime Minster Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Assam CM Tarun Gogoi along with the central and state delegation of bureaucrats took to the sky and hovered over the region for more than an hour. The PM and Sonia Gandhi conducted an aerial survey of the flood devastated Majuli river Island and the Kaziranga National Park.
Later, the Prime Minister and the Congress chief reached Guwahati on a special aircraft and interacted with the media at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. “We have surveyed the affected areas of Jorhat, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts and seen the large scale devastation. People of Assam are going through very difficult times, we will be extending an adhoc financial package. A central team will review the situation and if required, more assistance will be provided” said the PM.
The intensity of the floods this year is one of the worst. The official death toll is 77 so far, though unofficially the figures have crossed 100 with some still missing. About 20 main bridges have been washed away by the raging Brahmaputra in Upper Assam. Embankments across the state have been breached in no less than 45 places. The greatest threat has been to the fresh water Island Majuli in Jorhat district, which remained submerged for over five days.
The wildlife in Assam took a hit too. The Kaziranga National Park famous for its one-horn rhinos, the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park still remain under water with hundreds of wild animals feared to have been washed away. Animals have also died while crossing national highways while trying to reach higher ground. Three rhinos, around 25 deer and one elephant calf were killed and several hog deer run over by speeding vehicles on NH 37.
Locals in Upper Assam were also upset that CM Tarun Gogoi was on an official tour to the US when the floodwaters were increasing. This is not the first time the Prime Minister has given special financial package to Assam to fight floods, the state from where he is a Member of Parliament. Eight years ago, in 2004, Assam faced massive floods, all 27 districts were affected and Prime Minister had given Assam a special package of few hundred crores.
However, the situation on remains almost the same this year, drawing flak from opposition parties. "Then the PM had promised to declare Assam floods a national disaster, but he did not keep the promise. It is the same thing this time as well. The money will go waste, as the state government is not been keen to develop a proper mechanism for flood mitigation,” said Tapan Gogoi, general secretary of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU). The AASU claimed that New Delhi maintains step-motherly attitude towards Assam, as floods in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were declared a national calamity.
Over a decade Assam has received almost 1000 crores from New Delhi to fight floods. Apart from this, Asian Development Bank has given assistance of 142 million dollars to combat floodwaters and massive erosion, but progress is poor to say the least.
Ratnadip Choudhury is a Principal Correspondent with Tehelka.
ratnadip@tehelka.com
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