JORHAT, Aug 13 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was scheduled to visit Majuli today, to take stock of the flood situation, cancelled his tour programme reportedly not to hamper the district administration's rescue and relief operation.
The Brahmaputra island has been severely hit by the second wave of flood which has occurred within a month and the situation got worsened yesterday a large section of an embankment breached in upper Majuli submerging many villages. The breach took place at Besamara-Halodhibari embankment at Sonowal Kachari area.
A senior district administration official told The Assam Tribune today that the Chief Minister, who is currently on a tour of upper Assam since past two days, yesterday had decided to fly into the island and review rescue and relief measures.
However, he said that as the situation deteriorated in the late afternoon yesterday after the breach in the embankment, Sonowal last night canceled his visit.
The official said that as the Chief Minister's visit necessitates following of a set of protocols under which several senior district administration and police officials along with a large number of security personnel have to accompany the Chief Minister, Sonowal reportedly felt that the visit could "slow down" the rescue and relief work.
Senior administration officials led by Majuli Deputy Commissioner PG Jha since yesterday were camping at upper Majuli to supervise rescue and relief measures. Majuli Disaster Management Authority field officer Papori Baruah told this correspondent that altogether 66 villages with a population of 59,000 were affected.
Baruah further added that relief items that included baby food and mosquito nets and tarpaulin sheets were being distributed to the flood-hit people and medical teams were visiting the camps. She said there was a sufficient stock of food and medicines in the island. �We have now enough relief materials to meet any eventuality arising out of the floods,� she claimed.
