GUWAHATI, July 21 - The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has accused the Central and Assam governments of failure in providing adequate relief to the people affected by the devastating floods in the State and demanded that Assam�s flood be recognised as a �national problem�.
In a statement the CPI(M) Politburo said that the third wave of floods in Assam, a more devastating one, has seriously affected the life and livelihood of more than 35 lakh people. Already over 84 people have lost their lives. More than 3,000 villages in 24 districts have been hit by land erosion by the mighty Brahmaputra, Barak and their tributaries. The flood has damaged 1.27 lakh hectares of cropped area and caused heavy loss of livestock. Thousands of bridges, embankments, dwelling houses and public properties have been washed off.
The statement added that the BJP-led State government has miserably failed to repair the embankments, most of which have outlived their lifespan. Relief is yet to reach most of the places, it said, adding that till now the Central government has neither announced any relief package nor sent any Central team to assess the extent of damage.
The CPI(M) Politburo demanded that adequate relief and rehabilitation be ensured to each affected family.
The perennial flood problem of Assam must be recognised as a national problem and adequate funds released in this regard, the statement added.
