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Journalism of Courage
Though floods in Assam are showing signs of receding, authorities are still struggling to reach most of the affected people because of massive disruption of the road network throughout the state. The death toll has risen to 104.
With roads as well as bridges being washed away in most districts, trucks and other vehicles with relief material have been stranded. ‘‘As more than 3,000 kms of roads including national highways, state highways and rural roads have been severely damaged, trucks carrying relief material including foodgrain have not been able to reach many places,’’ said a government official today.
Outbreaks of diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases have also been reported from most districts. Around 16 lakh people are officially stated to be taking shelter in relief camps, while another 20 lakh are sleeping either in the open or in make-shift polythene and tarpaulin tents on the national highways and even on river embankments.
The floods have damaged 562 km roads on NH 31 — the lifeline of the North-East — while at least 20 km of NH 37 have been submerged in Morigaon district for three days, disrupting the link between Guwahati and the Upper Assam districts. At least 450 bridges including one on NH 31 have been either washed away or submerged.
‘‘The state has suffered massive losses in terms of infrastructure, while the people have lost everything, including granaries full of paddy and ponds full of fish that were ready for harvest,’’ CM Tarun Gogoi said today.
While the state estimates that loss to public property and infrastructure would amount to at least Rs 3,000 crore, it has become almost impossible to keep track of losses suffered by the people.
Meanwhile, the Brahmaputra reached its highest level and entered Guwahati city after 16 years. Officials, quoting Central Water Commission reports, said the water level of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati this morning was at 51.41 metres — .04 metres above the highest-ever recorded level of 51.37 metres in July 1988.
The district administration asked people to shift to safer places as the Fancybazar riverfront runs risk of erosion once the water recedes. Gogoi has convened an all-party meeting here tomorrow to review the situation. The on-going budget session of the Assembly witnessed noisy scenes after the government dismissed an Opposition demand for a special discussion on floods.
