GUWAHATI: Union minister of state for home affairs, Kiren Rijiju on Sunday visited the flood and landslide affected areas of Dimapur and Kohima districts in Nagaland and reviewed the search, rescue and relief measures taken by the state government and other central government agencies, an official press statement issued here said.
Rijiju was accompanied by Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, state home secretary, director general of police, senior officers of the state administration apart from a central delegation comprising officers from the ministry of home affairs, ministry of road transport and highways, National Disaster Management Authority and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The Union minister after a briefing on the prevailing situation in the state, undertook aerial survey of flood and landslides affected areas of Dimapur and Kohima.
A review meeting was thereafter held at Dimapur. Rijiju expressed his satisfaction on the arrangements made by the state administration in managing the unprecedented situation in the wake of the recent floods and landslides and providing basic amenities, including food, water and medical service at the rescue and relief camps.
He assured the state government that after receiving the memoranda, the inter-minister central team will visit the state within 10 to 15 days and that the second installment of SDRF will be released very soon.
Chief minister Rio thanked the central government for prompt response and deploying Indian Air Force helicopters as well as NDRF teams for rescue and relief operations and assisting the administration in relief distribution.
Briefing the media Rijiju expressed concern over the damage caused to crop and infrastructure, especially roads, in the state. He assured all possible assistance to the state government to cope with the current situation.
During the current monsoon season, various parts of Nagaland have been affected by heavy rains/rain oriented calamities of varying degrees.
Two teams of NDRF, comprising 70 rescuers, are already deployed in Nagaland to assist the state administration in relief and rescue operations.
Later, upon arrival at the Guwahati airport, Rijiju was briefed by principal secretary, revenue and disaster management, Assam about the current flood situation in the state.
Assuring necessary assistance to deal with current flood situation in Assam, he also asked the state government to submit the memoranda at the earliest for release of necessary financial assistance.
