ASSAM: MINISTER FOR WATER RESOURCES VISITS FLOOD-HIT BARAK VALLEY

Minister for Water Resources, Keshab Mahanta visited the flood hit Barak Valley today. On his arrival from Karimganj, the Water Resources Minister accompanied by Chief Engineer, Water Resources, Borsing Rongpi and OSD to Water Resources Minister, Dibakar Bhattacharjee, went to the worst flood hit Lala revenue circle where he inspected the embankment breach site. The officials of the district administration and water resources briefed the minister about the prevailing flood situation in the district and the slew of steps initiated to provide succour to the affected people.

At the Hailakandi Circuit House, Mahanta met representatives of different organizations and flood affected people and assured them that the Government would extend all possible assistance to the affected people. Deputy Commissioner Adil Khan and local MLA Anowar Hussain Laskar were also present.

Earlier, the Minister toured the Gosaigaon erosion affected areas under Udarbond revenue circle in Cachar district. Then he visited the flood hit Patharkandi in Karimganj district and inspected the embankment breach site.

The Minister will hold a review meeting with the Deputy Commissioners of Hailakandi, Cachar and Karimganj and officials of Water Resources department at Silchar Circuit House in the late evening. MLAs of the three districts of the valley will be present. Meanwhile, the flood situation in Hailakandi district remained unchanged with the Katakhal, Dholeswari and Barak flowing above the danger level.

More than two lakh people have been affected in the worst flood hit district of Assam. Around 55,000 affected people, housed in 87 relief camps, have been provided with food, medicine and water purifier packets. Medical teams have been pressed into service in the affected areas. Several roads, are still under a sheet of water, disrupting vehicular movement.

316 persons have so far been evacuated to safer places by SDRF and NDRF personnel, Deputy Commissioner Khan said. Khan has been touring different parts of the district overseeing the relief and rescue operations. Of the four revenue circles, Lala has been badly affected by the floods with close to 60,000 people of 40 villages hit.

One person has died yesterday while another youth is missing. The flood has damaged 11 roads and 1,468 hectares of cropland affecting 23,732 farm families of 223 villages, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner Khan has asked the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs to ensure fodder to over two lakh affected animals, small and big and poultry. Wheat bran has been lifted from Silchar today for the affected livestock. Piped water supply has been disrupted in the municipal areas of Hailakandi town, Lala town and in South Hailakandi areas following dislocation of pipes that are four-five feet under water. Executive Engineer, Public Health Engineering, Hailakandi Division, AN Choudhury said the department is trying its utmost to restore water supply in the affected areas soon.