GUWAHATI, July 17 � Cutting across party lines, members of the State Assembly today strongly criticized the Government for alleged failure to distribute adequate relief to the flood affected people and demanded that the committee to oversee the management of the calamity relief fund should be reconstituted. Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Pranab Gogoi said that only temporary measures would not help in dealing with floods.
During a discussion on a question by Keshab Mahanta (AGP) in the State Assembly, members cutting cross party lines alleged that adequate relief materials were not provided to the affected people and the calamity relief fund was not properly utilized. Ruling party legislator Jayanta Malla Baruah alleged that the schemes given by the legislators under the calamity relief fund were not approved, while, those submitted by a section of contractors were approved. This received widespread support from members of the House.
Padma Hazarika (AGP) alleged that the CRF management committee did not meet from October last year to May this year and under such circumstances, it is not possible to expect flood damage repairs on time.
The Speaker, Pranab Gogoi admitted that the Government should be serious in dealing with floods and pointed out that over the years, the bed of the river Brahmaputra is coming up. There will be a time when the bed of the river will be higher than the plains of the State, he suggested that the Government should engage experts to evolve measures to deal with the problem.
