GUWAHATI: A nine-member Parliamentary Committee on Subordinate Legislation-led
by its chairman and MP Dilip Gandhi called on Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the
latter’s office chamber at Janata Bhawan on Sunday.
The committee members discussed about the state’s perennial flood and erosion
problem with the Chief Minister and informed him that they would interact with different
stakeholders of the state on issues relating to the problem.
Chief Minister Sonowal informed the parliamentary committee members that flood
and erosion was a long standing issue of the state and it had severely affected the state’s
economy over the years.
“The problem of flood and erosion was getting worse with every passing year due to
rampant felling of tress and siltation of the Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers as well as their
tributaries. Government was, therefore, working to increase the green cover of the state and
has launched initiatives for planting 10 crore samplings in the state”, Sonowal said.
Sonowal further informed the members that a high level committee had been
constituted to study Assam’s flood & erosion problem headed by vice chairman of the
NITI Aayog as per direction of the Prime Minister. He also pointed out that flood in Assam
is a multi-state and multi-nation problem and therefore, the high-level committee intends to?
involve all stakeholders while charting out a lasting solution of the problem.
The parliamentary committee members also shared their views on the flood and
erosion problem and appreciated the state government’s efforts to tide over the challenges
posed by recurring floods.