Declare flood problem 'national calamity': Assam to Centre

For the second in a span of 10 years, the Assam assembly on Wednesday adopted a unanimous resolution to demand before the Centre to recognise the perennial flood and erosion problem in Assam a national problem.

Every year, flood waters from the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries cause immense hardship to millions of people in the state, besides triggering massive erosion of the  land mass much to the agony of the farming community.

Assam is the land of the Red River, as its topography is dominated by the mighty Brahmaputra River and its numerous tributaries. While this river system has been a boon for the farmers of the agrarian state, the same is also considered a source of sorrow for lakhs because of the erosion caused by these rivers.

According to the official data available, the Brahmaputra River alone eroded away an area of 5,95,155 bighas of land in this most populous state in the north east during 1971 and 2009 rendering 40,246 families homeless in seven of the Assam Valley districts.

This year, flood has so far claimed 126 lives besides inundating houses of over 23 lakh people and a large chunk of crop land. Innumerable livestock have perished in the deluge.

In such a backdrop Assam assembly adopted the resolution asking the Centre to declare the state's flood and erosion problem as a national one. It was the second such resolution by the assembly in 10 years.

The resolution, moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nilamani Sen Deka, urged the Centre to also sanction a special financial package for the state.

Putting thrust on the damage and devastation caused by floods and erosion annually in the state, Deka said the devastation to life and property has been a deterrent to growth and development in the state.

"Assam has been on the ladder of development, but the rate of development has not been as desired because of the flood and erosion problem," he said.

He pointed that a 2002 assembly resolution had sought declaration of flood and erosion problem as a national one and a tripartite meeting among the Centre, state and All Assam Students Union in 2005 had also reiterated the demand.