TURA: The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) on an inspection visit to the two flood affected districts of West and South West Garo Hills visited the worst hit Mahendraganj border region of the latter district on Saturday for a spot inspection of the damage during which they interacted with the victims of the July floods.
The central team comprising of Shri K.B. Singh, Joint Secretary (FFR), Ministry of Home Affairs and Shri Deependra Kumar, Director (PF-S), Ministry of Finance Deptt. Of Expenditure among others, were accompanied by South West Deputy Commissioner Ramkumar S., as they inspected and assessed the extent of damage caused to roads, fishery ponds and paddy fields in and around Mahendraganj area during the flood in July last.
They team met and interacted with the flood victims at Acheng Rangmanpa College in Mahendraganj where relief camps, medical camp and veterinary camps were set up as temporary shelter. One of the victims stated that it is the worst flood they have experienced in years and that they received all the basic supplies and support from the State government through the District Administration.
“It is the most disastrous flood in Mahendraganj area since 1986. We sanitized the whole area with bleaching powder, yet people suffered from various skin diseases”, said Shri Ramkumar S.
It was also informed that 70 percent of the local farmers have not been able to plant crops as their fields remain submerged under water for weeks. The locals accounted that all the fish from their ponds have been swept away with the flood waters. Lukaichar area of the district suffered severe water supply system damage due to siltation.
The Central team also inquired about the data on water level flowing from the Brahmaputra and due to non-availability of such facilities it was suggested that the water level can be recorded in Dhubri to get the idea of how much water is flowing into the district.