Declare floods as national calamity: Conrad tells Union govt

New Delhi: NPP chief Conrad Sangma on Wednesday demanded that the grave flood situation in the Garo Hills and other parts of the North East should be declared a national problem and an inter ministerial team headed by a Union minister should visit the seriously affected areas.
Raising the matter during the zero hour in Lok Sabha, the Tura MP said the flood situation in Garo Hills was very serious with conditions getting worse day by day.
He later met Union DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh and submitted a memorandum highlighting the issue.
Over a lakh people have been affected due to floods in the Garo Hills and more than one and half hectares of land     has been submerged in the swirling waters, Conrad said. The Centre should announce relief package to all the affected states including Meghalaya and direct the state governments to secure life and property of the people, he demanded.
The MP urged the Central government to take up the matter with the State government and expedite measures to help all people affected by the floods.
The NPP leader urged the government to declare the flood as a national calamity and to ensure that adequate relief is provided to the affected areas.
The NPP leader mentioned that border areas in Garo Hills such as Tikrikilla, Chibinang, Phulbari, Rajabala and surrounding areas, and Singimari and adjoining areas have been the worst affected. The floods occurred due to the swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers which have submerged several villages.