Assam Floods: Governor Asks for More Central Help

Assam Governor PB Acharya today said that he will urge the Centre for more assistance to tackle the flood and erosion problem of the state by requesting the prime minister to visit the affected parts.

He also appealed to people in general, industry houses, PSUs in the country to provide assistance both in cash and kind to lakhs of flood-affected people in Assam given the extent of devastation precipitated in the state.

"The devastating flood has caused immense misery to the people of Assam and only government alone can't do enough to provide succour to these hapless people. Industry houses, PSUs, educational institutions, varsities and the people from rest of the country in general should come forward to help the flood-hit in Assam at this time of distress," the Governor said.

He had made an aerial survey of some of the flood affected districts of the state last week and maintained that the Central government should have provided much more relief to the state to tackle the flood situation while long-term measures must be taken to resolve the perennial problem of flood and erosion which has become bane of life in the state. He said he would personally apprise the Union government about the need for taking urgent steps to tackle the problem.

The flood has caused extensive damage in terms of property, infrastructure, livestock, lives in the state so far this year. As per the updated estimate prepared by Assam government waves of floods have so far claimed 61 lives in the state affecting over 31.59 lakh people from 4459 villages from 105 revenue circles in 25 districts in the state. Over 8100 houses were damaged while standing crop on 3.41 hectares of land were damaged.

A preliminary estimate of flood-damage prepared by Assam government quantified the loss at Rs 580.99 crore out of which Rs 257.50 crore would be required to plug breaches in river embankments, restoration of roads and bridges would require Rs 20 crore, rebuilding and repair of damaged houses would require about Rs 40 crore, loss of agriculture crop worth about 232 crore.