Central team completes Assam flood assessment, reviews damage with chief secretary

A six-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) concluded its assessment of flood-hit districts in eastern Assam on July 29 after reviewing the situation with Chief Secretary Ravi Kota at Janata Bhawan in Dispur.

During the high-level meeting, Additional Chief Secretary for Revenue and Disaster Management and Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) Chief Executive Officer L. Sweety Changsan briefed the team on the causes of the recent floods, the scale of destruction and the challenges faced by the state in responding to what officials described as an unprecedented disaster.

The central delegation, headed by M. Ramachandrudu, Joint Secretary (DM-II) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, had carried out field visits to Charaideo on July 26, Sivasagar on July 27, and Jorhat and Golaghat on July 28 to assess the impact of the floods.

Officials from several Assam government departments, representatives of central agencies, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, Northeast Frontier Railway, Food Corporation of India (FCI), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), as well as district administrations of the four affected districts joined the meeting, with some participating virtually.

The state government told the team that the floods in Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat were unlike previous flood events, noting that Charaideo and Sivasagar have not historically been flood-prone districts.

According to the briefing, exceptionally heavy rainfall in Nagaland on July 19, including rainfall far above normal levels in Mokokchung, Wokha and Mon districts, combined with intense localised rainfall in Charaideo and Sivasagar, led to widespread flooding across the affected areas.

The meeting also reviewed the damage caused to homes, livelihoods and infrastructure. Assam officials informed the delegation that rescue operations were carried out with the support of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), NDRF, Fire and Emergency Services personnel and local volunteers.

The government said relief had been distributed to affected residents in accordance with prescribed guidelines. It added that family relief kits containing rice, dal, mustard oil, salt and candles were being transported from neighbouring districts to Sivasagar and Charaideo to support relief efforts.

Officials said damage assessment is still underway and that a comprehensive flood memorandum will be submitted to the Centre after the flood season ends.

Senior state officials also urged the IMCT to consider relaxing SDRF assistance norms to enable greater support for people in the worst-affected districts.

The central team assured the Assam government that its findings and observations from the field visit would be submitted to the Government of India for further consideration.

Besides Ramachandrudu, the IMCT included officials from the Central Water Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the National Remote Sensing Centre. Senior Assam government officials from departments including Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Industries, and Panchayat and Rural Development also attended the meeting.