Congress targets Assam govt over flood relief funds, seeks SC-monitored probe into ‘man-made’ floods

The Assam Congress on August 2 accused the state government of failing to effectively utilise flood relief funds released by the Centre due to inadequate budgetary provisions and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into what it described as “man-made” floods in the state.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, former Assam minister Nilamoni Sen Deka alleged that although the Centre had released funds under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the state government was unable to utilise them without fresh budgetary allocation and approval from the Assembly.

“At a time when people are suffering, the government has no money to spend because it did not allocate funds in the state budget,” Deka alleged.

He said a new legislation should be introduced to declare floods a “State Problem”, allowing the government to directly utilise state revenue for flood relief and rehabilitation.

The Congress also questioned the amount of central assistance provided to Assam, claiming that the state received Rs 379.35 crore, while Odisha, Gujarat and Maharashtra were allocated Rs 500 crore each, despite Assam facing a severe flood situation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Saturday approved the advance release of Rs 2,117.85 crore from the Centre’s share of the SDRF to support states affected by floods during the ongoing southwest monsoon.

Assam Congress media department chairman Bedabrat Bora alleged that illegal open-cast coal mining and organised syndicates operating along Assam’s borders with Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh had contributed to flash floods in Upper Assam.

He claimed that illegal mining activities had created large pits that overflowed or breached during heavy rainfall, worsening the flood situation in several areas.

Bora further alleged that around 40 to 60 illegal coal-laden trucks entered Assam from Nagaland every day and claimed that extortion linked to the alleged network had developed into a Rs 3,000-crore syndicate.

The Congress leader also alleged that no task force had been constituted despite directions issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Gauhati High Court in 2022.

He said the party would move the court by filing a public interest litigation (PIL) and a contempt petition over the alleged failure to act against illegal mining activities.

The Congress also submitted a 24-point charter of demands to Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, seeking financial assistance for farmers, a GST waiver on construction materials used for rebuilding, compensation for business losses and free food for flood-affected families.

The party demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged causes of recurring floods and called for stronger measures to prevent future disasters.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam showed signs of improvement, with the number of affected people declining to around 1.78 lakh. The flood death toll remained at 85.