The death toll from floods in Assam has risen to 80 after two more fatalities were reported, while eight districts and over 2.12 lakh people remained affected, officials said on Friday.
The state government has announced a six-month moratorium on the repayment of all types of loans taken by flood-affected people and has sought a special support package from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation efforts following the severe flooding.
Officials said both latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district, taking the toll from this year’s floods to 80.
Floodwaters continued to affect 21 revenue circles and 437 villages across eight districts, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Biswanath, Charaideo, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Jorhat, Dhemaji and Nagaon.
The Assam government will begin assessing damage to the households and properties of the flood-affected families from August 7.
Around 2,12,400 people remain affected, with Charaideo being the worst-hit district with nearly 80,000 people impacted, followed by Sivasagar with around 71,000 and Jorhat with nearly 40,000.
The flood situation has shown improvement since Wednesday, when seven districts and more than three lakh people were affected.
The administration is currently running 112 relief camps and distribution centres across four districts, providing assistance to 75,583 affected people.
The Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, police and civil authorities are involved in rescue and relief operations.
Floodwaters have submerged 17,198.09 hectares of crop area across Assam, while embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have suffered damage.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said a special meeting of the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), attended by representatives from the Reserve Bank of India, NABARD, State Bank of India and other commercial banks, approved a relief scheme for borrowers affected by floods in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts.
“The SLBC has decided that a moratorium of six months will be offered to all flood-affected people in these districts,” Sarma said.
He added that banks could extend the loan repayment period from one year to up to seven years, depending on the nature of the debt.
The Chief Minister also said the state government had requested a relief package from the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), which completed a four-day assessment visit to flood-hit districts in Upper Assam on Wednesday.
Sarma said Assam had urged the Centre to recognise the floods in Upper Assam as an “atypical, high-intensity, rapid-onset event” and allow flexible norms for damage assessment and assistance.
Addressing media persons after a Cabinet meeting on Friday, Sarma said the assessment would cover all affected households.
“We will launch the damage assessment from August 7 on a mission mode. We want to complete the assessment process within 10 to 15 days, so we can provide financial assistance to the affected families by August,” the chief minister said.
According to him, around 550 schools suffered damage in Sivasagar district and several others in adjoining Charaideo district.
“The government will provide financial assistance of Rs 2-3 lakh each for the repair of educational institutions that have been damaged in the recent floods,” Sarma said, adding the government was focussing on the reopening of the schools from August 9.
He said that after people returned to their homes, the government would focus on rebuilding infrastructure. Many roads and bridges were damaged in the floods.
Sarma said the state government would meet insurance companies on August 5, so they process the insurance claims of people early.
Reacting to criticism on Prime Minister Narendra Modi not visiting Assam during this crisis, Sarma said the state was getting all support from the Centre.
“The Prime Minister has empowered me to announce whatever I want. We are in constant touch with him as well as with the Union home minister. You have to decide whether you need his (Modi's) presence at this time or his support. So far as support is concerned, we are getting it,” the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, help for the flood victims is pouring in from far and wide, including places across Assam. The Aahwahan Foundation has deployed volunteers and staff to the affected villages of Jorhat and Charaideo districts. The NGO is supporting rescue efforts and distributing emergency grocery and medical relief kits to vulnerable families who have lost access to food, healthcare, and other essential services.
Similarly, the Humane World for Animals India is working with the state’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, conducting veterinary medical camps, providing treatment and medicines to injured and sick animals.
(With inputs from PTI)
