Over 25,000 individuals reside in relief camps, and an additional 3.61 lakh have taken sanctuary on embankments and other temporary structures. Over 18 lakh people are impacted by the disastrous flood scenario in Assam, which has spread to 2,800 villages in 29 districts.
At least 46 people have died as a result of the floods, and the situation is not getting any better since rain alerts are still in effect for most regions. Over 25,000 individuals reside in relief camps, and an additional 3.61 lakh have taken sanctuary on embankments and other temporary structures.
Assam’s Flood Management is criticized
The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) is among the critics who have harshly criticized the government’s handling of the flood catastrophe. They contend that the debacle has been made worse by shoddy embankment building and minimal preparation.
At Hatimara on the Kolong River, there was a notable breach that resulted in flooding of places that had not seen such destruction in seven years. “Due to the insincerity of the work by engineers, contractors, and the government, a very important embankment broke, leading to the flooding of the entire area and affecting thousands of people,” said Mriganka Shekhar Bharali of AASU, highlighting the break.
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While defending the government’s response, Minister Keshab Mahanta acknowledged the severity of the natural disaster and said, “Flood is a natural disaster, and when it comes, a lot of embankments are broken, not just here but in the entire state.” There will be an investigation into the embankment breach.
The situation is dire on the ground. Reporters for CNN-News18 saw residents of self-organized relief camps demonstrating against the unequal distribution of flood aid. Eighty-year-old resident Phulamala Das bemoaned the absence of government readiness, stating, “We haven’t had any flooding in the last seven years.” How can anything like this be anticipated and planned for? The administration ought to have been prepared. Despite being aware that water was getting past the sluice gate, they took no action to stop it.
Ila Kalita, another flood victim, talked of the destruction that occurred over night and left her and her family without a place to live. “Overnight, water seeped into our home, wiping out everything.” Our paddy fields are ruined, and we are farmers. Our entire herd has been carried off. Now that we’re living on the road, we’re attempting to survive. The government has not sent any relief supplies to us, the woman claimed.
Taking a more comprehensive approach to the issue of flooding, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attributed the recurring floods to water flow from Arunachal Pradesh, which is also impacted during these times.
He emphasized that building large reservoirs along the border by China to control water flow was the only way to solve the issue. We would not be able to prevent floods in Assam unless China constructed enormous water reservoirs on their side of the border. It will spill into Bangladesh from Assam as well. How, though, can Assam address this? Sarma remarked, “We are suffering ourselves.”
Sarma reaffirmed the necessity of international cooperation to manage the recurrent floods while inspecting a number of districts hit by flooding. Even with his guarantees, many locals’ top concern is still the government’s inability to provide sufficient assistance and relief.
As the floodwaters continue to rise and rain alerts persist, Assam’s major rivers remain above danger levels, posing ongoing challenges for the state’s residents. The government faces increasing pressure to not only provide immediate relief but also to develop long-term solutions to prevent such disasters in the future.
