GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Sunday announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the five persons killed in landslides in the city in the last few days.Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA) minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, announcing the financial aid, said there have been “logistical challenges” in tackling the waterlogging problem of Guwahati city and corrective steps are being taken.He was talking to reporters after chairing a review meeting with the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and other concerned departments to assess the ongoing relief measures and enhance preparedness for artificial flooding caused by incessant rainfall in Guwahati.The meeting focused on immediate response protocols, distribution of essential relief materials and streamlining coordination among departments to ensure timely assistance to flood-affected citizens.The city had witnessed massive waterlogging since the early hours of Friday due to heavy rains, with main localities still inundated.Landslides in the city and outskirts had claimed five lives during the period.Baruah said the meeting decided to grant an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the five victims.He said ensuring timely delivery of relief materials is a top priority for the department and items such as mosquito repellents, candles, sanitary napkins and baby food are being prioritised for quick distribution in areas hit by waterlogging and power outages.”Relief materials will now be pre-positioned in elevated spots across flood-prone zones so that they can reach affected families within 2 to 3 hours of flooding,” he added.Heavy rain continues to batter Assam, disrupting train services and road transportAcknowledging logistical challenges faced in the past, he said that “corrective steps” are already underway and “we are learning from every situation to improve future responses.” To strengthen local response capacity, each GMC ward commissioner has been directed to appoint 10 volunteers, designated as ‘Nagar Bandhus’ or ‘Apada Mitra’ (disaster friends).These volunteers will be equipped with raincoats and other essentials, and will work alongside ward-level disaster response teams, village headmen and mandals during emergencies, Baruah said.”In large or difficult to reach areas, these volunteers will be our first responders, bridging the gap between citizens and authorities,” he added.The minister also issued instructions to keep excavators and other machinery ready in areas vulnerable to landslides for prompt debris clearance.To address post-flood issues, Baruah directed that drains be cleaned thoroughly after water recedes as accumulated silt significantly reduces drainage efficiency.Special public committees, comprising ward commissioners, local residents and officials, have been formed to monitor and ensure accountability in drain-cleaning and emergency flood response, he said.GMC Mayor Mirgen Sarania, district commissioner Sumit Sattawan, GMC councillors, senior officials from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and officers from various concerned departments were present during the meeting, an official statement said.
Source link
