People In Assam's River Islands Miss Citizen List Hearings Due To Floods

The Assam floods have left the state paralysed, with around three dozen people dead and 54 lakh displaced. People living on islands along the Brahmaputra river are facing another problem. They are required to attend the National Register of Citizens' (NRC) hearings to resolve discrepancies but many are not able to make it due to the floods in the mighty river.

Beila Khatun, a 60-year-old resident of island Kalardia Char, made into the draft NRC but an objection was raised over her inclusion. She missed a crucial hearing recently as no boatman was ready to ferry them.

"It (the hearing) was extremely important, but that day, it rained like never before. The flood was huge. No boat would venture out and we could not attend the hearing. I am extremely worried what happens to me next," Ms Khatun told NDTV.

48-year-old Abul Hussain has made it to the draft list. His six children, however, face objection to their inclusion on the list, and they missed their hearing due to the floods.

"The village was flooded, the roads were broken, so we could not go. Now we don't think we will get a chance. The government needs to think about it," Mr Hussain said.

Mr Hussain's nephew, Anis Bhuyan, an activist who has been helping people with their NRC queries, says special hearings should be organised for such people.

"This is a tricky situation. In our area, I am aware of over 30 hearings. I am checking how many could not make it. I think the NRC authorities should allow some special hearings as we still have time for the final publication and the flood is receding," he says.

The floods this year have come at a very crucial time. The last round of NRC hearings on the claims and objections raised to the draft are on. The authorities have claimed that over 90 per cent of the NRC work is complete and they would meet the 31 July deadline the Supreme Court has set for the publication of the final version of the list.

The Assam citizens' list is being updated for the first time since 1951 to account for illegal migration into Assam from neighbouring Bangladesh.