Staff reporter
Guwahati: All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president and former MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal expressed concern reacting to the state being submerged due to the very first rainfall of the year. Ajmal demanded to publish a white paper detailing what specific actions the state and central governments have taken and where, in the last 15 years, to make Assam flood-free.
In a statement Ajmal stated, “It is indeed worrisome that the state has been affected by floods even before the onset of heavy monsoon. The fact that around 10 people have lost their lives and about 3.64 lakh people across 19 districts have been affected in the first flood itself is a matter of deep concern.
During my tenure as a Member of Parliament, I repeatedly raised the issue of Assam’s floods and river erosion. The central government has consistently neglected the flood problem in Assam. The funds allocated by the central government for disaster prevention in Assam are grossly insufficient. Even the funds received by the Assam government are often not used properly.
In reality, the current situation has arisen due to the complete lack of initiative from both the BJP-led state and central governments in addressing the flood and erosion issues in Assam.”
He further said, “It is extremely shameful that even the capital city, Guwahati remained submerged in water for three consecutive days due to a single spell of rain. For a city like Guwahati, which is part of the Smart City mission, such a situation is unacceptable and clearly indicates government failure. The inability of rainwater to drain is due to the failure to construct or clean drains and sewers on time.”
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