TURA, JULY 28: The woes of the residents of the flood hits Garo hills seems to only multiply as the district administration has failed to provide relief since the suppliers have refused to provide relief materials because the pending bills of the previous year are still to be cleared.
In 2014, Garo hills had witnessed a worst flood with over 90 people dead and damages estimated to about 600 crores.
Activist Mustafa Kabir said that the residents of flood affected areas of Rajabala and Bhaitbari are upset as administration has failed to provide toilet, boat, relief and water to tide away with the prevailing crisis.
Kabir said, “Many people, mostly children have fallen ill but doctors have not been pressed into action by the administration. There is complete shortage of medicine in the affected areas”.
The flood in Phulbari, Rajabala, Singimari, Paham, Bhaitbari and Hallidayganj has affected a total of 132 villages. The district administration release states that over 1.76 lakh people have been affected in the flood-hit areas with about 246 families displaced, sheltered in 36 relief camps.
Samgar Sangma associated with Centre for Environment and Rural Development, a resident of Phulbari said, “Water level has increased today and number of villages have increased. The situation of the people here is pathetic. We definitely have to come up with a permanent solution for the people. The climate change has posed a challenge for the people in plain belt areas of Garo hills, who have to reel under flood annually”.
Yesterday chief minister Mukul Sangma had an aerial tour of the flood-hits areas of West Garo hills and directed the district administration to provide relief for ten days.
However, power minister Clement Marak, a member of the high-powered committee for flood, said, “The relief would be given to the affected areas after final assessment of the damage and the number of people affected”. Marak along with legislator Ashahel D. Shira and speaker A T Mondal has been camping in the area for the past three days.
Rajabala MLA Ashahel D. Shira said, “Situation is bad but I request that the issue should not be politicized. Restraint has to be shown”.
Speaker A T Mondal said, “Climate change has caused huge upheavals in the environment. We cannot guarantee repeat of 2014. We are giving extra attention to the affected areas and working on modalities to provide solution to the people”.
“The flood has brought about innumerable loss in terms of damage to fishery ponds, loss of livestock, among others. District administration is monitoring the situation closely and would ensure relief is provided”, said Pravin Bakshi, deputy commissioner of West Garo Hills.-From Our Correspondent
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