Dhemaji still cut off, 40,000 affected
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, July 22 Flood-ravaged Dhemaji district remained cut off from the
rest of the State for the tenth day today and the district administration is
keeping its fingers crossed as two other embankments of Jiadhol river are in
bad shape. Though the district has not yet faced shortage of essential
foodstuff, there is every possibility of shortage of petroleum products in a
day or two.
Official sources in Dhemaji said that more than 40,000 people of around 75
villages of the district have been affected and the houses of more than a
thousand families have been completely washed away as the Kumotia river has
changed its course and rehabilitation of those families is turning out to be a
major problem.
Sources pointed out that the district was cut off from the rest of the State on
July 12 as flash floods resulted in breaching of the embankments of Kumotia
river in two places and the National Highway 52 was washed away in the
Samarajan area in between Lakhimpur and Dhemaji. The Border Roads Organization
(BRO) is also not in a position to repair the Highway till the breaches of the
embankment are plugged.
There is of course an alternative road from Gogamukh to Dhemaji, which is
maintained by the PWD but that road was also cut off as a wooden bridge at
Tengagarh was washed away. The Army has constructed a Bailey bridge following
the initiative taken by the Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh. The bridge,
which has the capacity of taking a load of 18 tonnes, was completed this
morning, but it will be difficult to carry essential items to Dhemaji through
the road as it has as many as seven wooden bridges, some of which are in bad
shape. However, fortunately, the Food Corporation of India kept a stock of
60,000 quintals of rice in its godowns in Dhemaji, which ensured that the
district has not yet faced shortage of essential food items.
Sources said that rehabilitation of the families whose houses were completely
washed out would turn into a major problem. The Kumotia river has changed its
course and the houses of more than a thousand families were completely washed
out, forcing the people to take shelter on highways, railway tracks and other
higher places. The administration gave a proposal to those people to
rehabilitate them in other areas of the district, but they are not too keen on
the proposal and they cannot be rehabilitated in their own villages as the
river is flowing right through those. Moreover, the rehabilitation grant given
under the relief manual of the State government is not adequate for
construction of new houses.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi yesterday made an aerial survey of the flood
affected Dhemaji district and the district administration requested him to
amend the relief manual to increase the rehabilitation grant so that new houses
could be constructed for those whose houses were completely washed away.
Two other embankments of Jiadhol river at Dehri chapori and Hololdonga are in
bad shape and if any breach occurs in those, even the Dhemaji town will be
inundated, sources apprehended. Interestingly, the State Government is still
not aware of the reason for the flash floods, which once again highlighted the
need for close coordination between the neighbouring States in dealing with
floods.
Sources said that there is no shortage of medicines and the storekeeper of
Dhemaji civil hospital has been placed under suspension on charges of creating
artificial scarcity of medicines, while, one doctor was served with a
show-cause notice for treating patients in a pharmacy during duty hours.
(The Assam Tribune,23.07.2007)
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