From Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha member from Meghalaya, Wansuk Syiem has urged the Centre to declare more districts of the State, especially in Garo Hills, as ‘flood prone’.
In a letter to the Ministry of Water Resources on Wednesday, Wansuk lamented that the flood problem of Meghalaya has received not much help from the Centre as it should have. She also demanded for an expert committee of the Ministry to carry out a scientific survey of floods in the State which receives maximum rainfall.
Every year in Garo Hills, the Ringii river causes havoc in Mahendraganj, Phulbari, Salsella, Agia and Ampati, affecting thousands of people in the low lying areas besides damaging crops and killing livestock, Wansuk said in her letter. The severe back flow of Brahmaputra river also causes widespread damage in the western plain belts of Meghalaya, she said adding that the State Government with its limited resources was trying its best to tackle this problem “but it badly needs help from Centre.”
“The need of the hour is a long term flood control strategy in a scientific way for a durable solution,” she added.
