SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday pointed out that frequency of occurrence of flash floods had gone up in the state for the last few years due to high amount of rainfall and climate change impact and said, “As per the expectations of scientists the situation will get worse.”
Stating that it is a serious matter, he pointed out that the plain belt areas of Garo Hills were affected by flash floods mainly due to overflowing of Brahmaputra River in Assam even as he said that the process of dredging the Brahmaputra was on the card.
“It will get worse and there should be an adaptation and mitigation policy. We are working on a war footing,” Sangma said after the Assembly resumed following a brief recess on Thursday.
He informed that the Union Water Resources Minister, Nitin Gadkari was apprised of the situation in the state by the state Water Resources Minister, Metbah Lyngdoh and the CM during their meeting in Delhi.
Water Resources Minister, Metbah Lyngdoh said that various flood protection schemes to control flood water of Jinjiram River had been prepared and were awaiting sanction.
He added that the state government, as a preventive measure had initiated some schemes to control flood from river Jingjiram to protect the plain belt of Garo Hills.
The minister was replying during Question Hour to Congress MLA Azad Zaman’s question on the supply of water to paddy field.
Pointing to the term, economically viable, Congress MLA Charles Pyngrope called upon the need to facilitate better infrastructure to the farmers.
Earlier, in his reply to Zaman’s question, Metbah said the plan to construct canals for supplying water to paddy field would be implemented if the area was technically feasible and economically viable.
“Make the infrastructure without looking into the economics,” Pyngrope said.
