After holding a meeting on the 'flood free Assam' initiative of the Assam government, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has decided that the Centre would soon call a meeting with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Power Ministry, and the state government to look at measures to include more flood moderation storage reservoirs along with hydro projects in Arunachal Pradesh in order to mitigate floods in the state. Flood free Assam was one of the promises made by the BJP in the 2019 general polls and 2021 Assam elections.
This year, Assam once again faced massive floods.
According to official sources, Mr Shah had in the closed door meeting asked the Assam government to come up with an action plan to protect and rejuvenate the wetlands in the state and increase their holding capacity so that they can also act as storage reservoirs during floods. He also called for the enactment of new laws for the protection of reservoirs.
He emphasised that the state must take all steps in this regard, including enacting a law for protection of reservoirs and a mechanism for enforcement of the same.
Another key suggestion from the Home Minister was to attract significant private investment, sources said.
Top on the agenda will be how state water resource department and Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) can utilise satellite images and other scientific data given by central agencies, like the North Eastern Space Applications Centre, for developing flood forecasting and early warning systems.
Congress Has Always Been Anti-Backward Classes: Amit Shah Assam Flood Situation Improves But 3 More Die; Death Count Reaches 112 Assam Floods Death Count Rises To 93 As Water Levels Recede "Someone Must Have Doubted...": Doctor On Trainee IAS Officer's Disability Claim Trump's Vice President Pick Reveals How His Hindu Wife Helped Him Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Called Cops Home, Spoke For 2 Hours Jaro Education Works Closely With Senior Executives From Corporates To Build Future Leaders "He'll Never Come Home": Captain Thapa, Killed In J&K Encounter, Remembered Engineer Stole NEET Paper From Exam Body's Trunk, Arrested By CBI: Sources Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.