A STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, June 16: The flash floods in Assam’s Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts have triggered a wave of displeasure even within the government.
Some members of the ruling Congress have accused the revenue, water resources and finance departments of not taking timely measures to secure the embankments in the flood-prone districts.
Sources said floods in Lakhimpur district had affected at least 347 villages. Around 200 families in Bihpuria town have started dismantling their homes in anticipation of a major breach in embankment.
The death toll in the flood-hit district has risen to six with two more bodies being recovered from Nowboicha constituency.
Things came to such a pass that elected representatives of the Congress are even asking Opposition members to convey to the flood-affected that their suffering has been caused by a natural calamity and adequate relief will be provided to them.
The development assumes significance because in most places the ruling and Opposition members do not see eye to eye. Sources in the Congress said all-party meetings were being held in the affected areas, particularly in Lakhimpur, Bihpuria and Nowboicha, whose MLA is an associate member of the Congress.
The locals are peeved with the ruling Congress for the apparent lack of flood-control initiatives. “What can we do if the government does not even sanction our project, leave alone release funds for them? The government is only giving assurances and we are facing the wrath of the people,” one of them said.
Party MLAs have even requested chief minister Tarun Gogoi to take swift action and release funds for both long and short-term flood control projects. They are also going to move the estimates committee of the Assembly.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader Dilip Saikia said, “The government is not at all serious about tackling floods. If it is really serious, it should order a CBI probe into where the funds released so far by it have disappeared.”
Revenue, water resource, finance department officials said they were helpless, when asked about the delay in sanctioning funds for the projects. Source: telegraph india
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