114 villages affected in Garo Hills , 14 relief camps opened
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Nearly one lakh people were affected in West Garo Hills after the swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers submerged over 100 villages on Sunday.
The worst-affected areas are Phulbari , Rajabala , Bhaitbari , Paham and other surrounding plain belt areas.
The West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Pravin Bakshi said on Sunday that the fresh wave of flood has added more miseries to the affected people.
“About 91,000 people have been affected by the flash flood in 114 villages in the plains of Garo Hills due to the sudden back flow of the Brahmaputra river,” Bakshi said.
“Barely two and a half months ago they were reeling under pressure of flood as 114 villages were fully or partially affected”, he added.
The devastation and destruction to households and crops is more severe this time.
This is the first time that the entire plain belt areas starting from Hallidayganj upto Nidanpur were completely submerged all along the Jingiram river, the Deputy Commissioner said .
The current wave of floods inundating the plain belt areas came due to the rise in the water level of Jingiram river following the rise in backflow of water from Brahmaputra in Dhubri in Asssam.
The areas of maximum impact are Bhaitbari and surrounding areas including Morasuti , Phershakandi ,Anderkata and some villages in Rajabala.
The Rajabala Higher Secondary School has been completely submerged by flood water.
Moreover, the Rajabala Outpost has also been affected with the flood waters rushing in.
As many as 14 relief camps were set up in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills. “We have requisitioned 10 boats for rescuing people,” he said.
According to the Deputy Commissioner, the people have been advised to take shelter in the relief camps but some of the affected households have moved up to the dry high land or the PWD roads fearing thefts in their houses if they vacate it fully . “Some people have also moved out with their belongings and are living in makeshift tents on the dry areas at a higher altitude from where they can monitor their submerged houses”, Bakshi added.
The West Garo Hills district administration has geared up to provide gratuitous relief for five days as was decided after a survey by the ministerial delegation appointed by the Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma.