Guwahati: Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday directed Revenue and Disaster Management Department and district administration in all the 15 flood affected districts to reach out to the affected people and step up relief and rescue operations across the State.
As many as 19 people lost their lives in the flood caused by rising water levels of the rivers like the Brahmaputra, Dikhow Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Beki, Kushiyara in the state.
In an emergency review meeting in Janata Bhawan here Sonowal took stock of the prevailing flood situation and directed district administrations both civil and police to provide relief materials including pure drinking water, medical facilities and security to the camp inmates.
He also asked Revenue and Disaster Management Department to disburse an ex-gratia relief to the next of the family members of those killed in the current spate of flood within 48 hours. Sonowal also asked Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department along with SDRF to undertake operations to rescue the marooned animals and provide fodder to cattle. Sonowal also asked the MPs and MLAs to remain in their constituencies and supervise rescue and relief operations.
Sonowal also directed Agriculture Department to ensure supply of superior quality seeds to the farmers whose crops have been devastated in the flood. He also asked Assam Power Distribution Company Limited to see that no casualties take place due to electrocution during the flood.
The current wave of flood besides affecting 47 revenue circles and 857 revenue villages took a toll on more than 3 lakhs 94 thousand people necessitating the Government to open 128 relief camps for 41, 487 camp inmates. Flood has already damaged more than 16-thousand-hectare crop area in the State.
The state government has earmarked RS 520 crore for flood relief operations out of which Rs 100 crore has already been spent, an official source said.