Assam floods: Sarbananda Sonowal calls for relief materials for victims as death toll reaches 65

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday directed all deputy commissioners to ensure that families affected by the current wave floods is provided with relief materials, as the death toll touched 65.

“Those who are not in relief camps but affected by floods must also be provided relief,” Sonowal said while reviewing the situation at the Assam Secretariat.

He also directed steps to be taken  for repairing and rebuilding houses that are damaged fully or partially by the floods.In addition, he also asked them to ensure repair of embankments damaged by flood in coordination with the water resource department as soon as water level recedes.

“The roads and bridges damaged by floods must also be repaired with the help of Public Works Department so that communication infrastructure can be restored at an early date,” the chief minister said.

“Farmers in the flood affected areas should be provided quality seeds for cultivation in coordination with the district agriculture officers,” he said.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 764,000 people had been hit by floods in 17 districts as of Monday.

Sonowal directed the five districts covered by the Kaziranga National Park - Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Biswanath Chariali and Sonitpur - to take stringent steps to safeguard wild animals affected by floods with help from police and the forest department.

Sonowal asked them to take adequate steps to ensure prevention and spread of diseases in flood affected areas by holding medical camps and taking other necessary measures.

Sonowal also directed the the deputy commissioners to take along the people’s representatives in properly managing relief and rescue operations and no lapse will be tolerated in providing relief material to the flood affected people.

The state government has already released sufficient funds to the affected districts and will take strict actions if any negligence regarding relief distribution is detected, he warned.

With inputs from agencies