Assam floods: CM Sarma directs DCs to accord top priority to relief operation

Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 20 (ANI): As the flood situation in Assam continues to remain critical and affected nearly 42.28 lakh people in 33 districts, Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday directed all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to prioritise relief operation instead of following procedures to avoid delay in supply relief.

Reviewing the current flood situation of the state in a video conferencing with the DCs, the Chief Minister directed the DCs to complete all damage assessments by July 5 and release funds by July 10.
"Funds not admissible under flood relief will be made available from SOPD/CMRF," Sarma said.
He further instructed the Guardian Ministers/Secretaries to be stationed in respective districts to monitor, and coordinate flood relief and rescue and asked Barak Valley DCs to submit their requirement for additional teams of NDRF in the rescue and relief operations.

The Chief Minister directed the DCs to make arrangements for providing hot cooked food to people sheltered at relief camps, ensure the supply of relief materials to affected people not staying in camps, and relief materials and petroleum products will be air-dropped wherever required.
He further said to keep static medical teams of MPW, pharmacists, and GNM/ANM in relief camps with a daily doctor visit, keep 108 mobile ambulances or hospital ambulances on standby, ensure sufficient doctors at night in district hospitals and make plans to hold mega health camps in every affected circle.

"The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has offered to run relief trains to affected areas, especially from Silchar to Karimganj, and medical facilities. We will try to bolster relief and rescue operations in Barak Valley by roping in additional NDRF teams from neighbouring Manipur and Tripura," he said.
"After the floods, the DCS will inspect all the breached embankments and take measures for repair and fortification. Meanwhile, I am in touch with my Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma for updates on the Jowai-Badarpur road that has been badly damaged by flood and landslide," Sarma said.

The flood and landslides have claimed 71 lives in Assam this year so far and 27 people are still missing.

In the current spell of flood in the state, 12.76 lakh people have been affected alone in Barpeta district followed by 3.94 lakh in Darrang, 3.64 lakh in Nagaon, 3.48 lakh in Bajali, 2.66 lakh in Goalpara, 2.55 lakh in Kamrup, 2.34 lakh in Nalbari, 1.46 lakh in Cachar, 1.16 lakh in Lakhimpur, 1.08 lakh in Hojai, 1.06 lakh in Dhubri district.
Following the torrential rains in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and neighbouring country Bhutan, the water level of all major rivers of the state are rising and many rivers are flowing above danger level marks in several places.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam's Karimganj district is still grim as flood waters submerged several new areas of the district and affected nearly 90,000 people. (ANI)