19 lakh people have been affected due to a devastating flood in Assam.
Highlights
- Delay because Assam is part of 'ignored' northeast, say locals
- Since 1954, Rs 33, 000 crore spent on flood management
- But it failed to have effect, since embankments not repaired on time
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Assam today, where 19 lakh people have been affected due to a devastating flood. Twenty-six people have died and 22 districts have been submerged as the mighty Brahmaputra overflows its banks.
The home minister, who visited the state along with Ministers of State Kiren Rijiju and Jitendra Singh, said, "People of Assam are satisfied with state action". But many disagree. The response, they feel, has been slow as Assam is a part of the northeast, a zone usually considered ignored.
Bhaben Konwar, a resident of the now-submerged Madhupur village, told NDTV, "When something happens in Jammu and Kashmir, people reach out immediately. I'm a BJP supporter, but the government response is delayed."
Admitting the response has been slow, Karabi Chaliha, a civilian relief worker, told NDTV, "It's not like people are not getting facilities".
Floods are an annual feature in Assam. Since 1954, Rs 33, 000 crore has been spent for flood management, but it has brought little relief to the people.
Since 1954, Rs 33,000 crores has been spent for flood management since its frequent occurrence.
Timely repair of embankments on Brahmaputra and the other rivers are crucial to contain the excess waters of the monsoon. And this is where the government's efforts fail.
"Embankments have been built to last around 25 years. They have to repaired and maintained well for them to serve their purpose," former Water Resources Secretary Jatin Chandra Sarma told NDTV.
This time, the Brahmaputra has even breached its embankment in the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's constituency, Majuli in upper Assam. The Chief Minister has suspended four government officials for being absent when the dyke was breached.
The Makra river in lower Assam has also breached its embankment at Naranyanpur village. While the army has been called in to plug the breaches, locals say successive governments have not paid attention to maintaining te embankments.
"If the embankments had been repaired in time, perhaps the impact would have been less," said Moulana Ataur Rehman Qasmi, general secretary of the state unit of Jamaat E Ulema Hind.