GUWAHATI: Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju arrived in Assam on Thursday for his stock-taking visit of flood-affected Northeastern states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
“I am making a tour of the worst-affected districts of Lakhimpur, Majuli and Dhemaji and submit a preliminary report to the Centre. The state government has taken effective steps to rescue the flood-affected people and provide them relief materials,” Rijiju said soon after the local administration made a presentation before him as he landed at the Lilabari airport in Lakhimpur in Assam.
Rijiju was confronted with barrage of questions from angry flood-hit in the worst affected Lakhimpur district who were vociferous in their complaints against indifferent local administration and local people’s representatives in Lakhimpur. He was accompanied by Lakhimpur’s BJP MP, Pradan Baruah, Assam’s minister Naba Kumar Doley and local MLA of Asom Gana Parishad, Utpal Dutta. A group of officials of Niti Aayog, Ministry of Home Affairs and NDRF were also accompanying Rijiju. The minister is supposed to submit a preliminary report to the Centre about situation and extent of damage caused by the flood.
The Union minister take stock of flood situation in neighboring Dhemaji district on board a helicopter.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr. Jitendra Singh on Thursday called chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and expressed concern over the damage caused by the devastating floods in the state. Dr. Singh also informed that Prime Minister Modi had entrusted him of all responsibilities to extend all possible help from the Centre and help the state tide over the impact of this catastrophic flood.
Over 17 lakh people have been affected by the current wave of flood that has inundated vast areas in 24 districts of the state, while 47 persons including several women and children have lost their lives in the flood.
Flood situation in Lakhimpur turned grim couple of days back when flash floods caused after release of excess water from the dam of Ranganadi hydro-electric project of the North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) located in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh. Over 2.80 lakh people have been reeling under floods in Lakhimpur district alone.
In Majuli river island, the River Brahmaputra breached the embankment in three places inundating residences of over 50,000 people. About 50 families in the river island have lost their dwelling houses and crop land in the island because river bank erosion of Brahmaputra. Over 1.38 lakh people have been affected in adjoining Dhemaji district.