Assam battles inadequate relief

Gogoi called for a detailed report on why the embankments had suffered such a large number of breaches.

State Water Resource Minister Bharat Chandra Narah, however, continued to maintain that the embankments and other flood protection measures had surpassed their effectiveness period. 8220;Most of the embankments along the Brahmaputra and its tributaries were constructed between 1995 and 1965, and most of them have already crossed their period of effectiveness,8221; the minister repeatedly said.

Meanwhile, latest official reports said over 13 lakh people in 14 districts across the length and breadth of the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys had been affected by the ongoing floods.

The flood situation has been particularly complicated with incessant rain affecting rescue and relief operations in the past one week. This has been evident from the fact that only about 10,000 people have been so far accommodated in 45 relief camps set up by the Government.

The Government is also facing complaints of inadequate relief materials, particularly foodstuff, materials to create rain-shelter and night-shelter especially for children and women, and provisions for supply of safe drinking water.

The eastern-most district of Dhemaji continued to remain cut off as national highway 52 has been washed away at two spots, while four districts of Arunachal Pradesh, which are connected to the outside world through Dhemaji, have remained cut off for over two weeks now.