Assam CM takes stock of flood situation in Goalpara

Guwahati/ Goalpara, Even as the flood waters receded from two districts, 3.81 lakh people in seven districts of Assam are reeling under the impact of the deluge that destroyed nearly 25,000 hectares of standing crops.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited flood hit Goalpara district on Friday to take stock of the situation.

Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaonn, Hojai, West Karbi Anglong, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts continued to be affected by floods though the waters ebbed in Dhemaji and Darrang districts, said an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin here on Friday evening.

With two deaths reported so far in Goalpara district during the first wave of floods in the state, the bulletin said 21,807 people have been displaced taking shelter in 190 relief camps/ centres where gratuitous relief of rice, dal, salt and mustard oil was provided to the inmates, the bulletin said.

The NDRF and SDRF have rescued 3880 persons in Goalpara, West Karbi Anglong and Hojai districts.

The Kopili in Nagaon is flowing above the danger marks, the bulletin informed.

Visiting Goalpara, the chief minister said the state government would deal with the prevailing flood situation in pursuance of the new relief manual which would strengthen its efforts to give relief and respite to the flood victims as well as fighting with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sonowal said that in view of the prevailing inundation the state government would reach out to the flood affected people with the new relief manual which would also help the State government to battle against novel coronavirus pandemic.

The chief minister visited temporary relief camps set up at Agia Balijana Girls High School and Dwarka Primary School and interacted with the camp inmates there.

He directed the Deputy Commissioner to provide adequate and good quality facilities like food, drinking water and medical help, besides doctors visiting the relief centres and provide medical attention to the inmates present there.

He also said that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic where in social distancing is regarded as the golden deterrent to keep the virus at bay, district administration should ensure strict adherence to the social distancing norms in the relief camps.

Talking to reporters, Sonowal said in this extraordinary situation when the state is bearing the brunt of floods as well as COVID-19 pandemic, everybody should work as a Team and help the people to tackle the situation.

In the absence of any antidote to fight coronaVirus, he said social distancing is the only means through which human lives can be saved and appealed to the media persons to generate awareness so that people adhere to social distancing norms in the fight against Movel CoronaVirus.