Guwahati: Assam Congress MP Abdul Khaleque on Saturday alleged that the state’s flood and erosion problems were not on priority list for the Central government. Addressing a press conference, Khaleque said, “The state witnessed devastating floods this year. But the Centre’s response has not been at the desired and proportionate level.”
“Amit Shah (Union Home minister) comes to Assam so often at other times, but during this flood, they sent only the Jal Shakti minister, Gajendra Singh Sekhawat. We know that the Jal Shakti minister has his limitations,” he added. The first-time MP alleged that the Centre’s agenda on the state’s flood and erosion problems was limited.
Referring to the Centre’s water policies, Khaleque said, “The Centre is more inclined towards working towards how to combat drought and water scarcity. How to tackle flood and erosion in limited in their agenda.”
“The Centre is talking about water harvesting. As my colleague from the Congress in Lok Sabha, Pradyut Bardoloi, had suggested, water refinery can be mooted for storing excess water during the rainy season and selling it to other states. It will have the dual benefit of helping check floods and also earning revenue for the state,” he said.
Khaleque also reiterated declaring the state’s flood and erosion as national problems.
Nearly 90 people have lost their lives in floods in the state so far. (UNI)
