Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh To Visit Flood-Hit Assam Today

With over 18 lakh people in 22 districts of Assam affected in current wave of flood, Union minister for Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh will assess the flood situation in Assam on Saturday.

In view of prevailing flood situation in the Assam CM has instructed Ministers to visit flood affected districts to take stock of the situation and supervise relief and rescue operations.

Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta and Rural Development Minister Naba Kumar Doley also accompanied him. According to the latest reports, over 20 people have died and almost 18 lakh people have been affected by the floods.

Due to the rise in the water level of the Brahmaputra River, Assam and many of its districts are getting submerged with the flow of water. NDRF teams are engaged in the most flood-affected Araria, Purnea and Kishanganj districts to carry out rescue work.

He also visited some relief camps, spoke to the inmates, and later went to some spots where the Brahmaputra and Aie rivers had breached embankments leading to massive inundation of a number of villages in the two districts.

Moreover, on the direction of the Chief Minister, teams have been formed for surveillance of emebankments on 24X7 basis.

Asking the administration to take special care of all kinds of medical emergencies and the health of the infants, children and elderly people in the relief camps, Sonowal directed the medical department to keep an eye to tackle the outbreak of any epidemic. Sonowal had on earlier visited Majuli, Golaghat and Lakhimpur districts.

To provide succor to the affected people, relief has been distributed as per requirement in all the flood affected districts and funds for providing relief have been placed with the district administrations in advance.

The Home Minister will also be visiting Bhagatgaon camp of flood-affected people in Morigaon district, an official release said.

He also handed over two cheques worth Rs. 4 lakh each as grant to the next of kin of those who died in the flood.

Meanwhile, relief materials have been brought to the state by choppers.

Sonowal visited a relief camp set up at Pratap Chandra Higher Secondary School at Gauripur and took stock of the medical, drinking water and other ancillary facilities being given to the people lodged there.

Mr Das reviewed the relief measures undertaken by the district administration while interacting with the heads of different departments.