With the flood situation in Assam and Mizoram still grim, officials in other northeastern States are on red alert since water levels in major rivers may increase any time with the rains. As Assam is the source of all goods transported to other northeastern States, the movement of trucks and inter-State buses has been hampered.
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh told The Hindu that the government’s long-term plan was to dredge river beds. He said, “As a result of rampant deforestation, there is heavy silting in the mountains and most of the rivers have muddy instead of running water. This will quicken the death of the Loktak lake, the largest freshwater lake in eastern India.” The flood situation in upper Assam has been officially described as “critical”.
