Most of the state’s existing 5,000-km embankments along the Brahmaputra and other rivers were constructed way back in the 1950s and were now vulnerable to breach due to perennial floods and river-bank erosion, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday. Apprising the prime minister of the state’s flood situation, Sonowal requested him to launch a ‘Prime Minister’s Special Programme for Flood and Erosion Control’ for developing road-cum-embankments stretching 5,000 km, ensure regular maintenance and sustainability of the embankments. “If these 5000-km embankments are developed as roads-cum-embankments, they will ensure regular maintenance and sustainability of the embankments,” Sonowal told the prime minister, a press release issued by the CM’s office said. He however informed the prime minister that the state lacked in resources for developing the roads-cum-embankments project and pleaded with him for an exclusive programme under the Prime Minister’s supervision to act as deterrent to flood and erosion. Briefing the prime minister about the devastations caused by two successive waves of flood lashing the state in the past two months, Sonowal said altogether 25 lakh people across 29 districts have suffered. “Though the current wave of flood has receded, 21 districts are still reeling under the impact of floods and 69 precious lives were lost,” he added. Sonowal also requested the prime minister to constitute a high-level inter-ministerial team headed by a cabinet minister to study the impact of floods and erosion and suggest permanent measures for mitigating the problem. Submitting a memorandum to the prime minister, Sonowal requested him to direct the ministry of water resources for early release of central share amounting to Rs 1138 crore for completion of schemes undertaken under the Flood Management Programme (FMP) during the 11th and 12th Five Year Plans.
