GUWAHATI, July 14 � Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik on Friday made an aerial inspection of the flood-affected areas of Nagaon, Jorhat and Kaziranga National Park, and issued a warning to the Brahmaputra Board that it would be held responsible for �any flood in the southern part of Majuli� in the future.
Patnaik first met the flood-affected people to understand their problems and grievances and upon obtaining a firsthand knowledge of their plight, he assured the affected people from Salmora that they could be rehabilitated segment by segment in various vacant lands of the river island to be allotted by the administration.
In reply to a query from the devastated folks of Sonowal Kachari regarding the sand deposition in their homes and fields, the Governor directed the Water Resources Department to take immediate steps to arrange for removing the sand and make the land plough-able and habitable. After the discussion, the Governor distributed relief materials to the affected people.
The Governor later held a discussion with the district administration where a power point presentation on the flood scenario was made by the Deputy Commissioner, Jorhat. The Governor obtained the commitment from both the chairman of the Brahmaputra Board and the Principal Secretary to the Government of Assam, Water Resources Dept that they would be able to complete the works entrusted to them on time on the south and north banks of Majuli respectively.
Patnaik told the Chairman of the Brahmaputra Board, for which a deadline had already been fixed for March 2014, that after 2014, if there is any flood in the southern part of Majuli, the Board would be held responsible.�
Regarding the northern bank, he directed the Principal Secretary, Water Resources, to give their assurance to the local MLA and Minister, Rajiv Lochan Pegu that they would live up to their commitment.
