ASSAM FLOODS : 2002 - Petition to the Prime Minister of India and an update on ASSUK TRUST Assam Flood Relief Fund

[gagon hazarika]

Raiz, In order to secure a better deal for our folks at home some of us had met the Indian High Commissioner in London; here is a report   Assam Floods :            Delegation to India House A delegation comprising  Dr Jitendralal Borkakoti Bhuban Baruah, Rini Kakati and Gagon Hazarika went to the Indian High Commission on 30 August 2002 to submit the  petition below to the Government of India urging adequate and timely relief to the victims of floods and measures to prevent recurring floods in the State and to explore what assistance if any from the Mission could be received in the domain of Indo-Uk cultural exchanges. Dr Borkakoti presented the petition to His Excellency the High Commissioner Ronen Sen who went through it  paragraph by paragraph while Dr Borkakoti and the other members of the delegation explained them in depth during discussions. Dr Borkakoti  stated that in view of Assam's chronic bankruptcy and the magnitude of the catastrophe it is imperative that the emergency be declared national.  So far as a massive project in the Brahmaputra was concerned His Excellency observed that it was an international issue. For example, he cited Bangladesh's intransigence on the question of the waters of the Ganges. Gagon Hazarika emphasised that the silting of the rivers due to deforestation was a major cause and this issue needs addressing too. While discussing the question of aids and expertise from foreign countries to alleviate the problem the High Commissioner explained that it was preferable to open trade than aid which always had strings attached and India has the required expertise to tackle the problem. However the delegation pointed out that open trade not always helps, for example the difficulties faced by the small tea growers of Assam today due to flooding of teas from neighbouring countries. Gagon Hazarika followed on an earlier advice by His Excellency the Deputy High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal and requested the High Commission's assistance in the domain of Indo-UK cultural exchange, especially in order to invite prominent artistes and dignitaries from India to UK for participation in cultural functions held under the aegis of either the Asam Sahitya Sabha or United Assam Association,  the High Commissioner replied that as a general rule Indian tax-payers were unwilling to spend money for affluent people living abroad; however if the richness of the ethnic music, arts and crafts and trade and tourism could be promoted among the European audience in addition to the Indian community such help could be made available. Bhuban Baruah intervened to state that such help could also be in kind if not in cash, for example, facilities for holding cultural functions at the Nehru Centre could be made available. The High Commissioner's response to the suggestion was positive. When the High Commissioner himself raised the matter of tourism in the region, Bhuban Baruah submitted that there should not be any discrepancy in the matter of entry fee to attractions charged to indigenous visitors and foreign tourists. The High Commissioner said that he could not agree more to this suggestion.  Gagon Hazarika added that the infra structure in terms of adequate transport and accommodation for tourists in the state had to be improved otherwise tourism could not flourish. Tourists must feel secure and welcomed, enjoy themselves without worries and return home refreshed to tell their friends how much they enjoyed while there. Bhuban Baruah further stated that tourists from UK had to pay enhanced fares for internal air travel in India if the tickets were bought in UK. The High Commissioner replied that he was aware of the issue which had to be taken up by an advisory council connected with air travel.                                                                      ________ A Petition to the Prime Minister of India     To   The Prime Minister of India New Delhi.                   (Through the High Commissioner of India, London)                                          Dated, London, the 24th day of August 2002   Dear Sir,   We, the Assamese residents in the United Kingdom, do hereby wish to draw your attention to the following: That, more than 5.3 million people are affected, 90,000 people are homeless, and 30 persons have lost their lives during the last seven weeks, That, the government of India has not considered the flood disaster serious enough and has not so far declared the calamitous flood as a national disaster, That, the government of Assam has meagre financial resources to cope with the relief work in the short term, and with the perennial flood problem in the medium and long term, And, That, the apathy revealed through the lack of rapid response by the Central government is detrimental to social and political cohesion of Assam. We would therefore, for the sake of the 26.6 million people of Assam, request you to take the following actions:   (1)      To declare Assam�s natural calamity as a national disaster, (2)      To grant Rs. 500 crores immediately for short-term relief (noting here that Mr. Advani has somewhat belatedly sanctioned Rs. 41.96 crores from the Calamity Relief Fund and has sent a team to study the calamity), (3)      To grant Rs. 4000 crores to repair damages to roads, bridges, school and hospital buildings, and residential houses, (4)      To finance and manage flood control projects in Assam centrally so that another calamitous flood may be avoided in July 2003 (noting here that the current disaster is partially caused by 71 breached dykes which could not be repaired in time because of paucity of funds, and 40 more dykes have been breached during the current flood), And, (5)      To consider seriously a large-scale project to build a multi-purpose dam in the North East (which will both generate much-needed power and control flood).     Yours faithfully,        Over fifty signatories from all over the UK.        ___________________________________________________________   Regarding the Appeal for Donations to the Assam Flood Relief Fund (AFRF) -  report from the Trust Secretary  Mrs Ahmed is that it is very slow.   You are aware that ASSUK Trust's aim is to channel the funds collected to the people in need directly at villages in the worst affected district of Dhemaji - not through the relief agencies.  In order to allow time for people who are still thinking about it we have extended the cutoff date to 30 September 2002.  So if you are one of those people who have not responded yet,  please spare a thought about the folks who lost  everything  - Thoka Ghor, Bhoralor Dhan, Potharor Kheti, Halbua Goru and Khetir Pothar due to silts; every little helps.   Cheque made payable to  ASSUK(AFRF) and posted to Secretary ASSUK Trust, 14 Greenhays Drive, South Woodford, London E18 2HB or pay into ASSUK TRUST Barclays Bank a/c  no.60205206 Code 20-84-17 together with your  name please.    Many thanks to those who had contributed already.   Regards, Gagon Hazarika