GUWAHATI, July 23: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the state government would initiate a structured dialogue with neighbouring States of the Northeast once the flood situation improves to establish a stronger coordination mechanism to protect people from the impact of upstream cloudbursts and similar calamities in the future.
“The destruction caused by floods in the state is of an unimaginable scale. Over 9 lakh people across over 1,800 villages in 25 districts have been impacted by this calamity. We have lost 41 precious lives till date and thousands of livestock has been washed away,” the chief minister, who is currently on a visit to four flood-hit districts of Upper Assam, said.
“Cloudbursts upstream, coupled with localised heavy rainfall, 436 percent above normal, have led to flooding in villages in Assam that have not seen such devastation in recent history. Once the immediate crisis subsides, we will begin a structured dialogue with neighbouring States to establish a stronger coordination mechanism that can better protect our people from the impact of upstream cloudbursts and similar calamities in the future,” Sarma said.
Meanwhile, the chief minister informed that the state government was responding to the current crisis with the full strength of a whole-of-government approach.
“All agencies, from the Indian Air Force and the NDRF to our state machinery, are working round the clock, carrying out rescue and evacuation operations by air and boat,” he said.
“We have set up over 148 relief camps, where close to 30,000 people are currently taking shelter. Our teams are reaching as many affected families as possible with food, drinking water and other essential supplies. In the worst-affected districts alone, over 3,00,000 kilograms of rice and other essential relief materials have already been delivered, with more on the way,” he informed.
“We are working closely with various departments and the Government of India to prepare a comprehensive long-term rehabilitation package for every affected family,” he said.
