DHUBRI, Sept 4 - The aggravating flood situation in Dhubri and adjoining areas may have direct implications on the rise in the prices of essential commodities across the State, including Guwahati, with hundreds of goods carrying trucks from West Bengal and other States stranded on the Bogoribari-Bilasipara route on the National Highway 31 for more than 18 hours now.
Movement of these trucks, mostly Guwahati-bound, have been restricted along with other heavy vehicles as the road condition have deteriorated with the flood water breaching quite a few points, including at Bilasipara (NH 31) and the situation does not seem to be improving.
District administration sources told this reporter that the goods-laden trucks will now have to take the route through Kokrajhar, which is again a dicey proposition.
�If the situation does not improve, the supply chain of essential and perishable items will be largely hampered. The NH 31 is a crucial route,� he pointed out.
�Some of them (truckers) may opt to move through the alternate route via Kokrajhar tomorrow morning but most of them appear reluctant due to the law-and-order issue. Even if all the trucks are diverted through the Kokrajhar route, the cost of transportation would increase, besides it would effect movement hassles,� sources stated.
The trucks carrying essential items from other parts of the country enter Assam through Baxirhaat (Chagalia) and Srirampur gates.
Meanwhile, flood water has entered urban areas in and around Dhubri town today with the water level in the river Brahmaputra rising up to 29.59 metre compared to last night when it was recorded to be 29.52 metre.
Rescue operation across the chars and other low-lying areas has also been intensified.
A district administration official informed that an added number of rescue boats have been pressed into service as part of the intensified rescue operations.
Meanwhile, Dhubri MLA Jahan Uddin while talking to this reporter said that rescue and relief operations needs to be carried out in a war-footing manner. �Both the State and the Centre must act in coordination to aid the flood-affected, especially the char areas. Chars are one of the main sources of supply of eggs, vegetables, fish, milk and labour force for people residing across the Lower Assam,� he said.
�I have spoken to the Deputy Commissioner on these issues,� he added.
