Unprecedented Floods in Upper Assam: Government Caught Off Guard

Government Response to Upper Assam Floods

Guwahati, July 22: During a recent session of the Legislative Assembly, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika characterized the recent floods in Upper Assam as a "natural calamity" rather than the typical seasonal flooding. He indicated that the government was unprepared for such an extraordinary event.

In his remarks on the ninth day of the ongoing Budget Session, Hazarika explained that the floodwaters affecting districts like Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Nazira deviated from the usual path of the Brahmaputra, entering from various unexpected directions, which made this disaster distinct from the floods the state usually anticipates.

"On July 19, an overwhelming influx of water from Nagaland resulted in an unprecedented flood in Assam. Areas such as Nazira, Charaideo, and Titabor experienced flooding that had never been seen before. While we are always ready for the state's regular floods, this was not a typical occurrence; it was a natural disaster," the minister stated.

Hazarika noted that most embankments built by the Water Resources Department held up against the flood, with only a few suffering damage.

"The embankments did not fail in the traditional sense. Water levels surged four to five meters above several embankments and entered from unanticipated angles. We were prepared for the usual floods, not for such a sudden and severe deluge. The government has been tirelessly conducting rescue operations and reaching out to affected areas as swiftly as possible," he added.

The discussion in the Assembly saw intense exchanges between government and opposition members, with Congress and AIUDF legislators questioning the government's readiness and flood management strategies.

AIUDF MLA Badruddin Ajmal claimed that excessive sand mining was worsening the flood situation and urged the government to take action against what he referred to as the "sand mafia."

"To manage floods effectively, we must eliminate the sand mafia. The government and relevant ministers should enforce strict measures," Ajmal insisted.

In response, Hazarika clarified that the Water Resources Department only provides technical no-objection certificates (NOCs), while the regulation and enforcement of sand mining fall under the jurisdiction of other authorities.

"When the Forest Department requests an NOC, our engineers conduct site inspections and provide technical guidelines to safeguard embankments. If these guidelines are breached, we can highlight the violations, but the responsibility for regulation and enforcement lies with other departments," he explained.

Congress MLA Abul Kalam Rasheed Alam raised issues regarding three pending embankment projects in Goalpara and alleged illegal sand extraction from the Brahmaputra.

Addressing these concerns, Hazarika stated that embankment projects would be initiated wherever technically feasible, acknowledging that factors like land availability, population density, and engineering challenges hinder construction in certain areas.

"In some locations, constructing embankments is not possible due to land unavailability or lack of technical feasibility," he noted.

During the session, opposition members called for an adjournment to discuss the flood situation and long-term mitigation strategies in detail.

However, Speaker Ranjeet Dass denied the adjournment motion, allowing the discussion to proceed as scheduled.

As of Wednesday, the death toll from the latest floods in Assam had reached 31, with 21 additional fatalities reported in the last 24 hours, although the overall flood situation showed slight improvement as rainfall decreased across much of the state.

Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma cautioned that the death toll from the devastating floods in Upper Assam could increase further as he assessed the situation in Charaideo.