Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam flood conditions are easing, but 136,203 people remain stranded across 335 villages. The state death toll has risen to 85. Five districts remain under water: Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Dhemaji. Water covers 15,422 hectares of farmland. No urban flooding is currently reported.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma released Rs 112 crore in interim relief on August 3. Over 60,000 families will get Rs 15,000 each. The state expects this to reach 75,000 households. This includes 35,000 families in Sivasagar, 19,000 in Charaideo, 4,000 in Jorhat, and 2,000 in Golaghat. Families in Sivasagar and Charaideo unable to return home by August 9 will receive an extra Rs 10,000 starting August 10. A detailed damage assessment begins that same day.
Critics call this insufficient. MLA Akhil Gogoi demands Rs 10 lakh per family. He wants the government to release Rs 2 lakh immediately. "The government should provide at least Rs 10 lakh to every affected family. It can be given in instalments. First, provide Rs 2 lakh immediately so that people can begin rebuilding their lives, and then release the remaining amount in phases," he said. Gogoi also alleged rice distribution irregularities, claiming families received 5kg instead of the promised 8kg.
The Tai Ahom Jatiya Parishad is pushing for a Rs 20,000-crore central rehabilitation package. Meanwhile, 24,460 animals are suffering. This includes 13,835 large animals and 9,754 small ones. Relief centers currently shelter thousands of these animals. Dhemaji recorded the highest animal impact with 10,527 affected. While the state government claims no livestock have officially been washed away, residents in Sivasagar report total losses. Veterinary teams are working in all districts to prevent disease outbreaks among livestock.
The Purvanchal Bhikkhu Sangha distributed Rs 1 lakh in cash and supplies to 200 families in Sivasagar and Charaideo. They collaborated with the Cholapathar Yuba Sangha. The Centre previously sent Assam Rs 379.35 crore as the first SDRF installment. Recovery remains long. Many lost everything.
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