GUWAHATI: Under pressure to restore flood-damaged structures on a war footing, Assam government has sought Rs 2393 crore assistance from the Centre to take up various flood-damage repair works including major breaches to embankment caused by the Brahmaputra and many of its tributaries in the current wave of flood that has started receding.
The request for fund was submitted before the seven-member inter-ministerial team from New Delhi which arrived in Assam on Tuesday to make an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by the floods in the worse-affected districts of Bishwanath, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Cachar, Hailakandi and Krimganj during July 25 and 28.
“We have made our own preliminary assessment and submitted a detailed list of damage caused to infrastructure under various departments by the current wave of floods. Of the Rs 2939 crore that we have listed in our assessment, about Rs 1800 crore would be required to repair and strengthen embankments and other flood control measures under the water resources department alone,” state chief secretary VK Pipersenia informed.
Making a presentation before the Centre team on behalf of the state government, the Chief Secretary Pipersenia said the floods had left behind a trail of destructions to infrastructure as well as massive silt deposit on over two lakh hectare of crop area.
“The Brahmaputra and its tributaries have caused as many as 20 breaches on their embankments in the current wave of flood, and those needed be plugged in no time as a temporary mitigation measure to prevent further damage to the structures. There may be more wave of flood as the monsoon is not yet over,” the chief secretary said.
The Assam government in its presentation said, “Over 1000 roads have been damaged and 184 breached. Fifteen bridges have been badly damaged, while approaches to 187 bridges have been washed away,”. The floods have also fully damaged over 3,000 dwelling houses apart from partially damaging about 23,000 houses in 29 districts in the past two months.
The central team headed by V Shashank Shekhar, a joint secretary in the home ministry, split into two groups and left for flood-affected areas. The central flood-situation assessment team would submit its assessment to the Centre after its return. The central team comprises officials from various other department including water resources, finance, road transport, rural development, agriculture and Niti Aayog.
Meanwhile, as per the report of Assam State Disaster Management Authority, floods have significantly receded and all rivers barring Dhansiri in Golaghat district are flowing below the danger level. About 5,000 flood-hit are still lodged in 19 relief camps in five districts till date. With one more death reported from Hojai district in central Assam, the death toll in the current floods has risen to 79.