GUWAHATI, Aug 2 - IIT Delhi�s Assistant Professor Manabendra Saharia has called for declaring Assam floods as a national calamity, as it severely impacts lakhs of people every year and has already claimed more than 100 lives this year. He stated that the socio-economic impact of Assam floods can create a national security issue, apart from a humanitarian one.
Saharia stated this during a webinar organised on Saturday by FLO, the women�s wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on the topic �Every Voice Matters: An awareness campaign for Assam floods�.
Artistes like Kalpana Patowary, Abhineet Mishra, Zublee Baruah and Joi Barua also participated in the webinar.
�In the last 90 years, Assam has experienced at least 70 big floods and this might be an underestimation as in reality, we have experienced many medium-sized floods which are dangerous as well,� Saharia added. He also urged the Central and State governments to look for a long-term solution and save the people of Assam from this yearly tragedy.
Jahnabi Phookan, national president of FLO, said, �Every Voice Matters, a national campaign for Assam, is to connect the nation together to think as one, feel as one and work as one.�
Kalpana Patowary said, �I am delighted that FLO has brought such issues concerning Assam on a national platform and the people of North East should be treated as a mainstream state and a solution to this problem have to be sought.�
Singer Zublee Baruah said, �Every Voice Matters is a great initiative that is enabling us to speak about our people who have been affected by floods, on a national platform.�
Abhineet Mishra, a stand-up comedian, said, �My biggest grouse is not with our ability but I feel a lot can be done. The study on embankments can be a possibility.�
Singer Joi Barua said, �People need to wake up and figure out as floods have been the longest standing problem in Assam. It is for all of us to come together and think about it and focus on finding permanent solutions.�
