Assam flood scene grim, centre seeks report

With nearly 300,000 people affected in the current round of floods in Assam, the centre on Thursday sought a report from the state government on the situation before providing assistance.

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Sarbananda Sonowal, met union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, in New delhi on Thursday and apprised him of the flood situation in the state.

"I have written to the chief minister (of Assam, Tarun Gogoi) asking for a report on the flood situation in the state," Sonowal told reporters here, adding: "Once the Assam government's report is received, the central government will provide assistance to the state."

According to the latest flood report released on Thursday by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 296,929 people in 611 villages in the state have been affected in the current floods.

Till now, 13 districts have been hit – Dhemaji, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Chirang, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Bongaigaon, Sivasagar, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Jorhat and Goalpara.

The authorities have opened 124 relief camps in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh where nearly 84,800 people are taking shelter.

While the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger level in Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts, the Jia Bharali has crossed the danger mark in Sonitpur, the Puthimari in Kamrup, and the Beki in Barpeta.

Meanwhile, referring to the Louis Berger kickbacks scam, Sonowal said that the people of Assam would not be satisfied with the inquiry ordered by Chief Minister Gogoi.

Former Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was holding the Guwahati development department portfolio when Louis Berger was selected as consultant for the Guwahati water supply project, being implemented by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority with funds received from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The scam came to the fore after the US Department of Justice found Louis Berger guilty of paying bribes to Indian officials, including ministers, for water supply projects in Goa and Guwahati.

(IANS)