GUWAHATI: The joint-secretary level inter-ministerial Central team that has made on-the-spot assessment of flood damages in Assam during July 25 to 28, termed the trail of devastation due to the current wave of flood in the state as `very profound and large-scale’ during their interaction with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal here on Friday.
The central team headed by V Shashank Shekhar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs apprised Sonowal about the findings of their visit to the flood affected districts. The team was divided into two groups and visited the flood-hit Brahmaputra and Barak valley districts. As part of their on-the-spot-assessment, the teams interacted with the affected people and respective district administrations to find out the intensity of damage caused by the flood.
Sonowal suggested the Central team to include the proposal for conversion of 5000 Km long river embankments in the state road-cum-embankments for permanent mitigation of flood as well as to help rural people in terms of connectivity and rural tourism.
Citing survey reports of international organizations which revealed that Brahmaputra holds highest threat perception to adjacent areas due to heavy undercurrent of its water, the Chief Minister also suggested the team to incorporate the same in the report so that a holistic approach involving both the central and state governments could be taken up for intensifying flood protection measures.
Sonowal also referred to the issue of resettlement of people who became homeless and landless due to flood and urged the team to carry the same in their report for release of fund by the central government for smooth rehabilitation of the flood hit.
Considering the gravity of the situation and the intensity of flood damage in Assam, Shashank Shekhar informed Sonowal that the team would submit their report at the earliest to the Central government so that fund for tackling the flood related issues could be released expeditiously.
The team visited Biswanath, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Barpeta, Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts of the state.
(EoM)
