Assam CM says rehab top priority as flood situation improves, toll rises to 82

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says flood-hit families are returning home as the government launches a time-bound rehabilitation plan amid a death toll of 82.

The flood situation in Assam is steadily improving, with affected people beginning to return home, but restoration and rehabilitation remain the government’s biggest challenge, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday as he announced a time-bound recovery roadmap. Even as floodwaters recede, the death toll has risen to 82, with more than two lakh people still affected, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

Assam government unveils a time-bound flood rehabilitation plan as affected families return home and the death toll reaches 82. (ANI)

In a Facebook Live session on Saturday evening, CM Sarma said that floodwaters are receding across the affected areas and people are returning home, but a large number of affected people are still in relief camps.

He added that, along with immediate relief and compensation, the government is focusing on the restoration of livelihoods, school repairs and the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.

“We are releasing immediate amounts for repair work in damaged schools, Anganwadi offices and Naam Ghars, as the first step, and from August 7, we’ll start a comprehensive damage assessment,” he said.

He promised ₹2 lakh each for damaged schools in Sivasagar and Charaideo, and ₹2.5 lakh each for Anganwadi offices.

The state government is preparing to reopen schools in flood-affected districts by August 10 and, apart from providing funds for reconstruction, the chief minister on Saturday released funds to replace uniforms and books damaged in the floods.

Sarma said that education is one of the priorities under the recovery plan, with nearly 550 schools affected in Sivasagar and several others in Charaideo. He added that the state government has decided to waive electricity bills for July and property tax for the entire year in the flood-affected districts.

He said he met representatives of 46 insurance companies to discuss claims involving vehicles, livestock and other insured assets damaged in the floods, adding that the insurers have agreed to send their teams to address the issues and will also consider digital documents instead of hard copies in cases where the originals were damaged in the floods.

“We will ensure that those who have insurance policies do not face any difficulties or negligence in the settlement of their claims. In case of deaths, the companies will accept the government’s official lists instead of death certificates,” he said.

The CM chaired a Cabinet meeting in Guwahati on Friday morning, after which he said the government would fast-track the previously announced ₹15,000 assistance for affected families.

On Saturday, he said the amount will be transferred to the victims’ bank accounts by August 5 and that another ₹10,000 will be given to the victims on August 10, apart from the final damage assessment.

He said that more than 10,000 people have donated to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and that the state government is tackling the initial phase of rehabilitation work with the help of these contributions.