Assam: Central team assesses flood damage, asks state to submit geo-tagged photographs

A central team has asked the Assam government to submit geo-tagged photographs of real-time damage to infrastructure due to floods. 

It also suggested the state include a list of damage caused to houses and agriculture due to floods in the final memorandum for central assistance, an official release said. 

The suggestions were placed by a seven-member inter-ministerial central team in a meeting with top state government officials here on Friday at the end of the delegation's visit to different flood-affected districts for an on-spot assessment of damages this year. 

The team, headed by C G Rajini Kaanthan, joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, was divided into two groups and conducted the spot visits over three days from Thursday. They visited Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Baksa, Barpeta, Chirang, Bajali and Nalbari districts. 

The central team discussed the damages and loss of livelihood and property in the districts visited by them. The state government urged them to consider releasing the required funds for repair and restoration works against the damages after submitting the final flood memorandum to the Centre, the release said. 

Kaanthan assured the state government that the team will submit the report with recommendations very soon to the Union government. 

The visiting delegation suggested that details of real-time damages of the infrastructure should be submitted with geo-tagged photographs along with time stamps. 

Nine people have been killed in floods this year so far, with nearly 9,000 people in two districts still suffering from the deluge, according to the latest official flood bulletin.