Union Home Minister Amit Shah called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma twice on Monday to enquire about the flood situation and said that a central team will soon visit the state to assess the damages.
The home minister called ”twice since morning to enquire about the flood situation in Assam. He informed that a team of officials shall soon be sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs to assess the damage caused by the natural calamity”, the Chief Minister tweeted.
Sarma further said that he was grateful to the home minister for his help.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also called the Chief Minister on Saturday to enquire about the current flood situation in the state and assured all possible help from the centre.
Meanwhile, Sarma held a video conference with ministers, senior state government officials and deputy commissioners, to review the prevailing flood situation in the state.
He directed that top priority must be given to relief and rescue operations and the officials should not make any delay in this regard citing procedural rules.
The Chief Minister directed the deputy commissioners to take help of the Indian Air Force to airdrop relief materials in areas where there is heavy flooding and army, NDRF or SDRF boats have not been able to reach.
IAF has also assured the state government to offload petroleum and diesel in severely flood affected areas, he said.
Meanwhile, North East Frontier Railways (NFR) has also assured relief carrying trains will be rushed to the flood affected areas, particularly from Silchar to Karimganj.
A NFR spokesperson said that trains carrying petroleum and diesel will also be transported by the railways on a priority basis while medical relief in railway hospitals and medicines from their dispensaries will also be provided to the flood affected people.
The Chief Minister said that the relief and rescue operations in the three districts of Barak Valley will also be bolstered by roping in additional NDRF teams from the neighbouring states of Manipur and Tripura.
He further said that he was in touch with his Meghalaya counterpart for restoration of vehicular traffic on the Jowai-Badarpur road that has been badly damaged due to flood and landslide.
Assam is reeling under devastating floods during the last one week, affecting a population of nearly 43 lakh in 33 districts and claiming 73 lives so far.
