Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has banned unauthorized roadside flood relief collections. He declared, "Nobody will be allowed to collect money on public roads in the name of flood relief," and instructed state police to dismantle fundraising drives using collection boxes or QR codes. Authorities aim to ensure donations reach genuine victims through verified channels.
The state is simultaneously shifting focus to education. On August 6, Sarma launched the application process for the Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina and Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu schemes to support higher education attendance. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu confirmed that regular school classes will resume August 10. Institutions still submerged or clogged with silt will host students at relief camps until repairs finish. Nearby schools will absorb displaced pupils in the interim.
To accelerate recovery, the government is issuing Rs 15.86 crore through Direct Benefit Transfers to 793 flood-hit schools across Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and Golaghat. Sivasagar faces the heaviest toll with 550 schools receiving Rs 11 crore. Charaideo will get Rs 2.22 crore for 111 schools, Jorhat receives Rs 2.06 crore for 103 schools, and Golaghat gets Rs 0.58 crore for 29 institutions. Furthermore, Sarma sanctioned Rs 4.26 crore from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for 21,025 students in Sivasagar and Charaideo to replace lost study materials.
The scale of the disaster remains immense. Over 10 lakh livestock have been affected, and hundreds of wild animals perished or remain stranded. Sarma noted that this crisis is one of the "lesser discussed yet deeply distressing consequences" of the season. Statewide, the floods have claimed at least 95 lives, displacing over 1.6 lakh people.
Separately, the Udalguri Police hit the narcotics trade hard. Officers seized 344.38 kg of cannabis worth Rs 1.72 crore. One suspect is in custody. Sarma praised the operation, stating, "A delivery that never reached its destination!"
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