Assam Government Intensifies Flood Relief Efforts in Upper Assam
Government Response to Flood Crisis
Rescue personnel head towards flood-hit villages by boat on Monday (Photo:@borgohainSBG/X)
Guwahati, July 20: In response to the ongoing flood crisis, the Assam government has escalated its relief operations, dispatching four cabinet ministers to the most severely affected regions of Upper Assam.
Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, along with Ministers Bimal Borah (Industries, Commerce and Public Enterprises), Keshab Mahanta (Revenue and Disaster Management), and Susanta Borgohain (Water Resources), visited the flood-impacted districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Charaideo to evaluate the situation, oversee rescue efforts, and collaborate with local authorities.
This initiative followed a directive from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who instructed the ministers to promptly assess the worsening flood conditions in these districts.
The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of all MPs and MLAs from the affected areas remaining present to monitor the situation closely.
"I am in regular contact with all public representatives and have assured them of the Assam government's full support to tackle this crisis. As rainfall persists and water levels rise, we are intensifying our efforts to relocate individuals to safer locations and provide necessary assistance," Sarma stated in a social media update on Monday.
Minister Borah arrived in Sivasagar early Monday to discuss the flood situation with district commissioners before heading to Serekapora village to evaluate the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
He noted that the government is mobilizing all available resources to ensure timely rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and restoration of essential services.
"We are fully committed to supporting our citizens and will do everything possible to overcome this challenge together," Borah remarked.
Water Resources Minister Borgohain visited the Lonporiya area and surrounding villages in the Bokota-Lakuwa mandal of Demow constituency, where rescue operations are actively taking place.
He assured that evacuations would continue in other submerged villages and that all necessary precautions have been implemented to ensure the safety of affected families.
Flood relief operations underway in Demow constituency, Sivasagar. (Photo:@borgohainSBG/X)
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Mahanta visited Jorhat and Sivasagar to assess the current flood situation and oversee relief efforts.
During his visit to Teok, he engaged with residents affected by the floods and evaluated the local administration's response.
In a related development, the Indian Army has initiated Operation Jal Rahat, contributing to the state's rescue efforts to evacuate individuals stranded in various flood-affected regions of Upper Assam.
This military deployment was prompted by the Assam government's request for assistance as continuous rainfall and rising river levels exacerbated the flood crisis.
As reported by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), floods have impacted eight districts, including Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Udalguri, and Jorhat, as of Sunday evening. The flooding has affected 22 revenue circles and 298 villages, impacting over 57,000 individuals, with more than 3,874 hectares of agricultural land submerged.
With inputs from agencies