MORIGAON, July 19 - The current wave of floods claimed seven lives in Morigaon district. The official source said that a sum of Rs 4 lakh was given to family members of the victims as compensation.
A total of 1.5 lakh people in 145 villages under Morigaon district were affected in current wave of floods. The standing crops covering 75,000 hectares of land were destroyed by the flood, the government source added. The dyke along the bank of the river Brahmaputra was breached in several places in Lahoirighat Revenue Circle forcing around 20,000 people to go to safer places. Though the administration has streamlined the relief and rescue operations, yet the local people alleged inadequate supply of relief materials and cattle fodder in the flood-affected areas. The district administration source said that the administration has a fund of Rs 1.5 crore to tackle the disaster.
However, shortage of pure drinking water in areas like Bhuragan and Lahorighat added woes in the daily life of the flood-affected people. Morigaon unit of the AASU staged a sit-in protest programme recently at Morigaon Bihutoli demanding adequate relief materials in the flood-affected areas.
Addressing the gathering, Dipankar Nath, president of the AASU unit, alleged that though the people of Assam changed the government at Dispur, yet there is no change in policy. He criticised the Centre saying that it showed a step-motherly attitude towards the people of Assam.
