No respite for flood-hit Assam

Assam's flood condition remains alarming with Brahmaputra and its tributaries flowing above the danger mark as rains continue to lash the state and flood water breach over 100 embankments.

The third wave of floods hit Assam in the first week of September. Three districts of Barak Valley – Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj – have been cut-off with the rest of the country for more than a week, according to news reports.

The situation in Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj is grave with river Barak and its tributaries submerging roads and breaking communication.

Due to constant downpour in Manipur and Mizoram states, the water level of river Barak has risen to flood new areas of the valley and breached embankments.

The current phase of flood has claimed 60 lives taking the death toll to 120 since the onset of monsoon in July.

This time around, floods have spoiled more than one lakh hectare of cropland and rendered 37,00,000 people homeless.

The districts affected by floods are Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Bongaigao, Kamrup, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Goalpara, Nagaon, Jorhat, Kokrajhar, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Baksa.

Wide gaps

Although government officials say they have enough resources to carry out relief operations, some parts of Dhemaji, Hailakandi, Barpeta, Baksa and North Lakhimpur districts have been left out.

The state government has pressed army into action for relief and rescue efforts.

State officials are distributing 100 grams of pulses, 20 ml of cooking oil and salt to flood survivors. Adults are entitled to 600 grams of rice while children are supposed to get 400 grams of rice.

“But it seems the government’s relief operations are providing food and safe drinking water only to populations in relief camps and those stranded in higher locations,” says Manik Shah Mazumder F.B. of ActionAid team in Assam.

The cost of most vegetables has shot up. Onions are priced between Rs 25 and Rs 35 in flood-hit areas. Home fuel cylinders with liquefied petroleum gas are setting people back by Rs 700, almost Rs 400 more than the national average.

Survivors, especially children and the elderly, are already complaining of fever and diarrhoea in Morigaon and Barpeta districts. “Some have also been diagnosed with jaundice,” says Manik.

Frequency and quality of food items being distributed are uneven. Distribution and quality are below the mark in Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Jorhat districts and better in Barpeta and Nalbari.

The government is providing water purifying powder and installing tube wells at some places. But survivors say these measures are few and far between.

“Local groups are telling us that there is one tube well for 3000 residents in Morigaon district,” says Manik.

Food, safe drinking water and medical aid are urgently needed.

ActionAid Response

ActionAid partner organisations are providing dry food items like flattened rice, jaggery and biscuits to flood survivors – Rural Volunteers Centre in Dhemaji district, Gramya Vikash Manch in Nalbari, Society for Social Transformation and Environment Protection in Barpeta and Morigaon, Nari Suraksha Samittee in North Lakhimpur, Deshabandhu Club in Cachar and Sanmilita Nari Adikar Surakhsa Samittee in Dibrugarh.

Volunteers from these organisations are also training villagers to spray bleaching powder to decontaminate water sources like tube wells.

Mobile health camps are being held in Cachar, Barpeta and Morigaon districts.

ActionAid partner organisations are informing government officials about flood survivors who have not received support.

Volunteers are also making villagers aware of their rights. For instance, they tell communities how much rice and other food items each adult and child are entitled to during floods.

Updated: September 19, 2007