NEW DELHI, July 21 - The Lok Sabha today witnessed a heated exchange of words between two Assam MPs over the issue of floods, with Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress demanding a special package for the State, while Ram Prasad Sharma of the BJP sought deputation of a high-level committee led by a Cabinet minister to assess the damages caused by floods.
Raising the issue of flood and erosion in Assam during Zero Hour, Sharma said 29 of the 33 districts in Assam had been affected and the flood situation was still critical. �About 17 lakh people are out of their homes... The entire Assam is under floodwater. The loss is incalculable. It is a huge loss to the economy of Assam...,� he said, adding the floods have totally shattered the rural economy in the State.
�I would request the Government of India, through you, to send a high-level team led by a Cabinet minister to assess the flood damages and, in the meantime, give some succour to the marooned people, who have lost their homes,� the BJP MP said and added that the Government of Assam should be given at least Rs 12,000 crore to repair the roads and embankments damaged in floods.
It was at this point Gaurav Gogoi intervened pointing out that Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju himself had visited flood-affected Assam and the Northeast a couple of days back. �What is the outcome of the visit,� the Congress MP wanted to know amidst interruptions, even as he demanded a special package for Assam to deal with the flood problem.
