Even as floodwaters have receded across much of Upper Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the state's biggest challenge now is helping thousands of affected families rebuild their lives, with damaged homes and broken roads continuing to hamper normalcy.
The chief minister made the remarks after announcing flood relief materials worth around Rs 16 crore from Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati. The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent the relief supplies to flood-hit families in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat.
According to Sarma, the relief materials were contributed by BJP workers from across Assam through a statewide collection drive.
"Today, Assam BJP and our karyakartas have contributed nearly 1.8 lakh mekhela chadors, 1.8 lakh T-shirts and 1.5 lakh mosquito nets for flood-affected families in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat and Jorhat. These contributions have come from the grassroots level, and I hope this small effort will help people in the days ahead. Our relief work will continue," he said.
Although there has been little rainfall since July 21 and the flood situation has improved, Sarma said the destruction left behind remains severe.
"There has been no significant rainfall since July 21, so the flood situation has improved. But the damage is enormous. Many people are still unable to return home because their houses have been badly damaged, and in several places, roads have been washed away, making access difficult," Sarma said.
The chief minister said ministers Bimal Bora, Sushanta Borgohain and Ajanta Neog have been camping in the affected districts to supervise relief distribution and review the situation on the ground. Alongside BJP workers, local volunteers, government agencies and several organisations have also been involved in the relief effort since the floods struck.
The state government has now shifted part of its focus towards recovery. Medical camps are continuing in several affected areas, surveys of damaged houses are underway, and discussions with banks will be held to explore possible relief measures for borrowers affected by the floods, Sarma said.
He also said donations for flood relief were being received from different parts of the country and assured that the government would make public the names of contributors after the collection process was complete.
On suggestions that international assistance could be sought, Sarma said there was no such requirement.
"We do not need international relief. The Government of India and the Government of Assam are fully capable of handling the situation. If anyone wishes to contribute, they can do so through the appropriate FCRA route," he said.
Sarma also pointed to the recurring floods caused by runoff from the hills of Nagaland and said the problem cannot be addressed through temporary measures alone.
"We need a detailed study on how water flows from the hills into Assam. We can discuss the issue with experts from IIT Guwahati to explore long-term solutions," he said.
Sarma thanked BJP workers who remained engaged in relief operations despite many of them suffering losses in the floods themselves, saying their contribution reflected the party's commitment to standing with affected families during the crisis.
