GUWAHATI, April 30 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed State Revenue Department to extend all possible assistance to the storm-affected people of the State and asked the department to send its men and machinery to be with the affected people.
He also directed the department to ensure that government help reaches the landless people as well.
He also asked the department to render all help to the fire victims across the State and prepare a new guideline to help the owners of fire-ravaged firms. These directions of the Chief Minister to the Revenue Department came while chairing a meeting at the conference hall of Janata Bhawan at CM Block here today to assess preparedness of the State before the floods.
The meeting also had threadbare discussion on different aspects to be undertaken during floods in the State. Sonowal also directed the Revenue Department to be on its toes for relief and rescue operations during floods.
He directed the department to ask the district administration of each district to prepare themselves with their men and materials.
Sonowal said that there should be adequate buffer stock of food items in each district to face any kind of exigency. He also asked the Public Health Engineering Department and Health Department to ensure adequate stock of medicines, halogen tablets, bleaching powder etc., to meet any kind of health hazards during and after floods.
Sonowal asked the Forest Department to work in tandem with the Transport Department to avert any accidents of stray animals of Kaziranga National Park while they cross roads in their bids to go to safer places. He also asked the Forest Department to see that the animals of Kaziranga take shelter on 33 highlands in the forest area. Besides the department should also keep motorised boats ready along with mobile squads and adequate food.
The issue of artificial flood in Guwahati also featured in the meeting. He also stressed on de-silting and cleaning drainage system in the city. Referring to the past incidents, Sonowal directed the Power Department to identify vulnerable points and take precautionary steps to avert electrocution deaths during floods. He also emphasised on the need of generating mass awareness taking the help of NGOs, ASHA workers, anganwadi workers etc., on the issue.
Sonowal also asked the Water Resources Department to complete the ongoing projects undertaken to mitigate flood-induced erosion on a war footing. He also asked the Public Works Department to ensure that during floods, communication does not get snapped off and in case road communication is disturbed, the restoring process should be initiated at the earliest.
