'July floods were a man-made catastrophe': Debabrata Saikia accuses Assam government of negligence

Former Assam Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia on Wednesday, November 4 accused the state government of administrative negligence in handling the floods that devastated parts of Upper Assam in July, describing the disaster as a "man-made catastrophe" and announcing that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Gauhati High Court.

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, the Congress leader alleged that illegal riverbed mining, inadequate flood management and administrative failures had aggravated the impact of the floods. He demanded compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh for every affected family and called for an independent inquiry into the causes of the disaster.

Saikia said the Gauhati High Court had directed the state authorities to submit an affidavit by November 3 detailing emergency relief measures. However, he alleged that the government had failed to produce the necessary records even after four months and had sought additional time. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for December 14, he added.

Raising concerns over river management, Saikia demanded an immediate halt to illegal and unscientific mining along the Dikhow River and its tributaries. He alleged that excessive extraction of sand and boulders had weakened riverbeds and contributed to damage to embankments.

He also called for the deployment of a specialised task force battalion in accordance with earlier directions of the High Court.

Questioning the state government's explanation for the floods, Saikia said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had not issued any cloudburst forecast. He alleged that the Chief Minister's reference to a cloudburst was an attempt to deflect responsibility for the extent of the damage.

The Congress leader said the government could not attribute the entire disaster to natural causes without examining possible administrative and environmental failures. He demanded an independent inquiry committee headed by a retired High Court judge, with experts from IIT Guwahati and relevant government departments, to investigate the causes and impact of the flooding.

He also questioned whether the CBI investigation announced by the Chief Minister would adequately examine technical and environmental aspects of the disaster.

Saikia seeks Rs 10 lakh compensation for each affected family

On relief and rehabilitation, Saikia said the assistance provided under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) was insufficient to compensate families for their losses.

Citing the relief model followed in Himachal Pradesh, he demanded compensation of at least Rs 10 lakh for every flood-affected family.

He pointed out that existing relief provisions did not adequately cover losses suffered by small businesses, including grocery shops, automobile repair garages, welding units, handloom enterprises and livestock-related activities.

Saikia also alleged irregularities in the distribution of flood relief, claiming that financial assistance had reached the bank accounts of family members of ruling BJP leaders in areas that were not affected by the floods.

He further claimed that several genuine beneficiaries were yet to receive the promised interim assistance of Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000.

Highlighting the financial difficulties faced by farmers and small traders who had taken loans, Saikia said a six-month moratorium on loan repayments would provide limited relief if interest continued to accumulate. He called for intervention through the Reserve Bank of India and the Banking Ombudsman to facilitate appropriate debt restructuring.

Calls proposed Siang dam a 'water bomb' for Assam

Saikia also raised concerns over the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, describing it as a potential threat to downstream areas of Assam.

Questioning the state government's argument that the project could serve as a strategic buffer against China's proposed 60,000-MW hydropower project in Tibet, he warned that sudden releases of water from upstream could overwhelm the proposed reservoir and have consequences for downstream areas.

Citing scientific studies, Saikia said an estimated 65 to 70 per cent of the Brahmaputra's water originated from rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, while Tibet contributed around 30 per cent.

He alleged that the project was being pursued despite concerns raised by experts over the possible downstream impact of large-scale hydropower development.

Referring to Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi's representation to the Union Jal Shakti Minister, Saikia expressed support for the agitation led by members of the indigenous Adi community in Arunachal Pradesh.

He demanded public hearings in downstream areas of Assam and called for an immediate suspension of project-related activities until concerns over its potential impact were addressed.

Saikia also suggested that ONGC fund the reconstruction of houses damaged by the floods and extend support for the education and livelihood rehabilitation of affected families.

Questions government spending and infrastructure projects

During the press conference, Saikia also criticised the state government's spending priorities and raised questions over the implementation of several infrastructure projects.

He said he had repeatedly raised the need for embankment construction since 2021 but alleged that his demands had not received adequate attention. Recalling the July floods, he claimed that water entered houses and reached rooftop levels within half an hour, even though the protective embankment had not been breached.

Questioning the expenditure of more than Rs 100 crore on the demolition and reconstruction of Block B at Janata Bhawan in Dispur, he claimed that neighbouring buildings remained usable.

He also criticised the construction of multiple flyovers in Guwahati and referred to concerns previously expressed by transport infrastructure expert E Sreedharan over their effectiveness in addressing traffic congestion.

Saikia further alleged irregularities in the tendering process for a flyover near the MLA Hostel, claiming that the tender was issued five months after the structure had been completed.

Raises questions over Hotel Bilas Inn murder case

Saikia also raised questions over the murder case at Hotel Bilas Inn near Bora Service in Guwahati, expressing suspicion that the incident could have been linked to the commercial interests of influential individuals.

He questioned the circumstances surrounding the subsequent police encounter in which the accused was killed, alleging that the action may have prevented information from emerging during court proceedings.

The Congress leader criticised what he described as a pattern of staged encounters and extra-legal police action.

Concluding his address, Saikia accused the BJP government of selectively invoking its 'Jati-Mati-Bheti' slogan, alleging that eviction drives had affected indigenous communities, including Rabha, Tiwa and Bodo people, while benefiting outside commercial interests.

APCC Media Chairman Bedabrat Bora and party general secretaries Bipul Gogoi and Ramanna Baruah were also present at the press conference.