With at least 50 people dead and nearly 15 lakh displaced, Assam is facing one of the worst floods in last five years. Local aid-workers told The Hindu that at least two lakh people have been shifted to hundreds of camps in Lower Assam’s flood affected districts. Nineteen districts in Lower Assam are severely affected, according to State Disaster Management Authority.
Local residents attributed the flooding to rising water level in Brahmaputra and its tributaries due to incessant rain earlier. “The other problem was land erosion along the banks of the river. It displaced many,” said Khasrul Islam, a relief worker with MP Badruddin Ajmal’s foundation. Scarcity of food material is increasing the plight of the people.
“In 2010, there was severe flooding, but there was no scarcity of food. But this year the situation pathetic,” Mr. Islam said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has written to the Prime Minister seeking an assistance of Rs.500 crore for the districts in Lower Assam. However, many believe that a “politics” of flood funding is getting played in Assam, as the State is approaching election in 2016.
“The Centre is not releasing the fund saying that the State can spend from the existing fund ostensibly released earlier, while the State wants a separate funding for disaster relief. The State is claiming that it can not use the money earmarked for other projects. This tussle between the State and the Centre is badly affecting fund flow increasing plight of the people,” said a retired Secretary of the Assam government.
The press conference by Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sarbanada Sonowal from Assam indicates that politics is indeed getting priority over relief. Mr. Sonowal said on Monday that the Congress government in the State, led by Tarun Gogoi, had enough Central funding to address the crisis. Centre released Rs.1,655 crore for the State in April, said Mr. Sonowal.
PTI adds:
Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya has also urged Mr. Sonowal not to politicise the flood problem.
“I am not a BJP man now. But as an ex-BJP man, I will tell him (Sonowal) not to make floods a political issue. Please do not do this. The State government is my government,” Mr. Acharya said at a press conference.
The Governor was responding to queries on Mr. Sonowal’s allegation yesterday that the State government was not doing enough to handle the natural calamity.
“If you have any problem regarding any issue, you can meet me or the CM. This is a problem we all should fight together,” Mr. Acharya said.
However, the Governor said: “I agree with the CM that we need more funds. The Centre should give more funds. I am going to Delhi tomorrow and will meet the President, Home Minister and most probably the Prime Minister. I will appeal to the Centre on this matter.”
“I will also request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pay a visit to the flood-hit areas. At the same time, the atmosphere of blaming the Centre is also not good. We cannot accept blaming the Centre every time for the State’s failure,” he added.
The Governor also appealed to the civil society, specially students and the business community, to come forward and help the people in need.
Mr. Acharya further said he was planning to start ‘Raj Bhawan Relief Fund’ and raise money for helping people affected in natural calamities like floods.
