Himanta directs Cachar, Hailakandi DCs to ensure emergency flood-relief supplies

After reviewing the flood-hit districts of Barak Valley on June 6, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of Cachar and Hailakandi to ensure the emergency supply of all essential items.

He also instructed them to pay special attention to the needs of senior citizens, children, and lactating mothers.

Chief Minister Sarma noted that while the Barak River is flowing above the embankment level in Hailakandi, a breach has been reported in the embankment of the Longi River. He added that the government will initiate a project to strengthen the embankment.

Chief Minister Sarma, during the day, reviewed the prevailing flood situation with district administrations and other line departments, assuring affected people of all possible government support to restore normalcy once the floodwaters recede.

During his day-long visit, the chief minister first visited several flood-hit areas in the Hailakandi district.

He also visited relief camps set up at Kalinagar and Panch Gram and interacted with the camp inmates.

While talking to them, he assured them that the government would provide complete support to assuage their sufferings.

The chief minister also visited several flood-hit areas of the Sribhumi district and inspected the victims' problems on the ground.

He visited the relief camps set up at Rabindra Sadan Girls College, Government Higher Secondary School, and Bhanga Higher Secondary School and spent some time with the flood-affected people sheltering there.

Later, talking to the media at the conference hall of the DC office in Sribhumi, Chief Minister Sarma said that though the Barak river is flowing over the embankment in Hailakandi district, no breach in the embankment has been reported from the district. However, an embankment breach in the Longi River has been reported.

However, he said that the government will take up a project to strengthen the embankment. He also said that the repair and strengthening work of the embankment breach reported in the Longai and Shingla rivers will be started very soon.

CM Sarma said that the work on the East-West Corridor, the National Highways Development Project component connecting Silchar, is nearing completion. The remaining five kilometres need an elevated corridor, and the government is paying attention to that.