SHILLONG: Two Congress MLAs have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction a special package for the flood affected Meghalaya like Assam.
In a joint letter addressed to the Prime Minister on Wednesday, the legislators, PT Sawkmie and HM Shangpliang, said that the special package will enable the state government to provide necessary relief and financial support to the affected individuals, including their rehabilitation and reinstallation of the infrastructures damaged by the flood waters.
The legislators said that torrential rain for the past few weeks particularly in the plains of Garo Hills
) and the resultant backflow of the river Brahmaputra from Assam, caused unprecedented floods resulting in loss of five precious lives, displacement of people from the affected villages and huge damage to property, roads and bridges and plantations.
In the entire area under C&RD Blocks of Selsella, Tikrikilla and Demderna in West Garo Hills, over 16 lakh people and around 50,000 households were affected.
The Primary Health Centres (PHCs) located in the flood affected areas of Mahendraganj and Bhaitbari have been submerged and hence shifted temporarily to higher ground.
The Rajabala Police Outpost, schools and PMGSY roads in these areas have been submerged.
Besides destruction to standing crops, livestock and fish ponds were also washed away, they said.
Relief camps have been set up by the district administration and necessary gratuitous relief is being provided which is not adequate for the flood victims, the letter said.
“More relief is required to be distributed and continued for longer period considering the COVID-19 pandemic situation prevailing in the state”, the MLAs said.
