TURA: A much needed respite has come from the torrential downpour that lashed the Garo Hills region for close to four days but another worry is the backflow of the river waters from Jinjiram and Brahmaputra in the plain belt of West Garo Hills district which is now beginning to bear the brunt.
A large number of the population living in the low lying areas of Phulbari, Bhaitbari and Rajabala have moved to higher ground since Sunday to escape the fury of flood waters from the two major rivers which are in spate due to heavy rains in the upper ridges of Assam. The affected people have been taking refuge on roads and high ground along with them their precious belongings and livestock.
This time, while South Garo Hills has experienced large scale flooding due to the torrential rains, the plain belt in the western part of Garo Hills has relatively free of flood damage till now.
Several homes, schools and standing crops have been inundated while Bhaitbari medical health centre waterlogged. Villages under Bhaitbari had also been affected by flooding as informed by local BJP MDC Sofiur Rahman who later spoke to deputy commissioner P Bakshi to apprise him of the flood scenario in his constituency.
Meanwhile, the elected legislators from the region, minister Clement Marak of Selsella, Speaker A T Mondol of Phulbari and Rajabala MLA Ashahel D Shira are scheduled to visit flood affected areas in the plains belt on Wednesday.
“We are keeping a check on the situation and I have briefed the minister (Clement Marak) and the deputy commissioner about the scenario on the ground,” said Shira while speaking to The Shillong Times on Monday.
He expressed apprehension about the situation further deteriorating since the flood waters from the upper region of neighbouring Assam were now beginning to enter the Garo Hills plains.
District officials have informed that a team led by the civil sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Dadenggre, Ram Kumar, together with the block development officers and gram sevaks are undertaking a survey of the flood-affected areas and a report
