Principal Secretary reviews flood situation in Hailakandi district

A Correspondent

Hailakandi, June 19: Principal Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management and Chief Executive Officer, Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Rajesh Prasad on Tuesday visited Hailakandi and assessed the flood damages and relief and rescue operations in the worst hit district of Assam. Following his arrival from Silchar, Prasad held a high-level meeting with Deputy Commissioner Adil Khan and senior officials of the civil and police administration and reviewed the flood situation. Prasad asked the officials of the departments concerned, particularly Health and Public Health Engineering departments, to pitch in all efforts to provide relief and succour to the flood-hit people.

He assured the health officials that he would look into the shortage of doctors across the district. Prasad said doctors from Silchar and Gauhati Medical College and Hospitals would be despatched if required. Prasad said the government had sanctioned Rs.1.70 crore for flood relief in Hailakandi district out of which Rs.50 lakh has been already released. Ex-gratia of Rs.4 lakh would be released to the next of kith of the deceased within the next 48 hours. Two persons died in the deluge.

Later, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Khan, District Development Commissioner, FR Laskar and other senior officials, Prasad visited the flood-hit Algapur revenue circle and interacted with inmates lodged in relief camps. Algapur MLA Nizamuddin Choudhury was present. Of the 6,59,296 population in the district, 3,24,258 have been affected by the first wave of floods. Around 165 relief camps have been set up by the district administration accommodating 1,32,430 inmates. SDRF and NDRF personnel evacuated 8,216 marooned persons and moved them to safer places.