Union Minister in Assam to review flood damage

Guwahati: The Centre has deputed the Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation  Sanjeev Kumar Balyan to Assam for assessing the extent of damages caused by flood and erosion in the state.
Balyan had a meeting with the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at Arunachal Circuit House at Mohanbari in Dibrugarh on Tuesday in presence a few other ministers and officials of the water resources department and assured Centre’s commitment to take up effective steps for solution of the problem.
Sonowal had earlier submitted a report to the Centre highlighting the magnitude of damages induced by waves of floods in Assam this year. In the meeting today, Sonowal apprised Balyan of the huge damages inflicted on Assam by this year besides drawing the attention of the Union minister to the perennial problem of flood and erosion and its cascading effect on the lives and economy of the State.
Informing Balyan about a World Bank expert committee’s report on the flow and current of the
Brahmaputra River which is very strong and uncontrollable at times, Sonowal emphasised on using modern technology to tame the mighty river to minimise its mayhem along the down-stream. Sonowal also requested for Centre’s financial aid along with other assistance to save the state from the recurrent problems of flood and erosion.
Drawing attention of the Union Minister that heavy siltation on the river bed has substantially reduced water bearing capacity of the Brahmaputra, Sonowal said that in order to control flood, the Brahmaputra and its tributaries have to be controlled in line with the Huang Ho river of China.
He also informed that Assam Government has taken with the Dredging Corporation of India Limited to carry out dredging of Brahmaputra course and sought Centre’s assistance. A comprehensive dredging of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries besides helping the State to negotiate with the flood and erosion successfully will create new vistas for Inland Water Transport as well as for the economy of the State.