Assam Chief Secretary reviews floods, landslide situation in state; more than 4 lakh people in 26 districts affected

Guwahati (Assam) [India], May 17 (ANI): A review meeting was held at Chief Secretary's Conference Hall in Guwahati on Tuesday for taking stock of the current situation in Dima Hasao, Hojai, Cachar and other Barak Valley districts in the state affected due to severe floods and landslides since last few days.
Pressing issues discussed in the meeting were maintenance of supplies of essential food items to the affected districts, especially Dima Hasao, reopening of the National Highway connected to the affected districts, uninterrupted electricity supply and maintaining the communication network (voice and data).
Addressing the present challenges, Chief Secretary of Assam, Jishnu Barua has taken a few crucial decisions.
At first, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has been requested to restore the road connectivity from Guwahati to Haflong with immediate effect so that supplies and other essential commodities can be sent to the Dima Hasao district. Indian Air Force (IAF) was requested to airdrop the most essential supplies like rice, daal, and medicines to Dima Hasao district by tomorrow.
As many as 35 stranded railway employees and their families along with left out passengers at the New Haflong railway station would also be rescued with the help of IAF. District Commissioner of Dima Hasao district will ensure to supply 200 litres of fuel to the BSNL Authority immediately at Duiyang Microwave Station for restoring the communication network.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) will also use the services of drones/satellite data to ascertain the loss and damage data of the district. The rescue operation of the stranded people and supply of relief materials has been started through 20 rubber boats with the help of SDRF and the Army in the Hojai district.
District Commissioners of Hojai, Karimganj and Cachar districts are instructed to have regular meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Suppliers and merchants for the smooth maintenance of supplies. However, connectivity remains an issue due to multiple landslides in the Guwahati-Silchar road via Meghalaya. District Commissioner Cachar was also assured to resolve the issue of airfare hikes with the help of Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC).
Following the review meeting, the Chief Secretary of Assam also had a video conference with all the DCs of the State on Flood Preparedness.
As per the daily flood data - as many as 4,03,352 people in 26 districts have been affected in the last 24 hours in the State. As many as 89 relief camps and relief distribution centres have been opened in all affected areas. A total of 39,558 inmates are staying in these relief camps. Till date, eight human lives (three in flood, five in landslide) have been lost.
Torrential rainfall and landslides in the past few days have eroded sections of roads and railway tracks in Assam's Dima Hasao district affecting road and rail connectivity to the Barak Valley region of the state, officials informed on Sunday. (ANI)