STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Three retired senior officials from Assam have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide a comprehensive Central relief and rehabilitation package for the state amid the devastating floods.
In a letter dated August 12, former Assam DGP Dr Kuladhar Saikia, former IPS officer Jyotirmoy Chakrabarty and former ACS officer Mukul Chandra Gogoi drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the extensive damage caused by the floods, particularly in Upper Assam.
They said the deluge had claimed lives, killed livestock and damaged infrastructure, schools and private properties. While the state government, private organisations and individuals had undertaken relief efforts, they said the scale of the disaster required enhanced Central assistance.
The former officials also urged the Centre to constitute a high-powered interstate expert committee to examine factors that could have aggravated the floods, including dam management, coal and sand mining and deforestation across state and interstate boundaries.
They further called for the implementation of a robust, real-time early warning system to alert communities about sudden heavy rainfall, dam releases and areas likely to be affected by flooding. They said such a system would facilitate timely evacuations and help prevent loss of life in future disasters.
The three former officials urged the Prime Minister’s Office to examine the issues and initiate appropriate action at the earliest.
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