BARPETA, July 17 - A total of 1.30 lakh population of 185 villages have been affected by the recent wave of floods in Barpeta district. This was informed by the Deputy Commissioner of Barpeta, Thaneswar Malakar.
Addressing a press meet in the conference room of his office, Malakar said that the overall flood situation has improved now but it will take sometime to commence normal works in the severely-affected areas. Giving details of the affected areas, Malakar said that 13 in Barpeta Revenue Circle, 53 in Baghbar, 52 in Kalgachia, 28 in Sarthebari, 13 in Bajali, 25 in Chenga and 1 village in Barnagar Revenue Circle have been affected by the floods.
The floods have damaged 5439.5 hectares of crop area, the highest being in Baghbar with 1829 hectares followed by Chenga with 1772 hectares and Sarthebari with 1254 hectares.
One minor child, identified as Dewan Nur Njamul Haque, son of Harishar Ali and a resident of Balikuri NC drowned in the flood. The Government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. Besides, one Dhanya Sarkar, a resident of Kuriharpam lost his life in flood-related electrocution. The APDCL will pay his family Rs 4 lakh as compensation and it is being processed.
Floods have severely affected road communication in the district with as many as 26 rural roads being washed away by the current wave of flood water. Besides, two PWD roads have also been damaged and 14 approaches of bridges have been damaged by flood. Brahmaputra and its tributaries have breached their embankments in six places causing immense miseries to the neighbouring villages of those areas.
Three school buildings have been damaged and two dwelling houses have been fully damaged by the flood besides 13 houses being partially damaged.
The Deputy Commissioner informed that the district administration has left no stone unturned to help the flood victims and it has kept a strict vigil on the impending situation till now. The entire machinery in the district has been monitoring the post-flood situation.
