Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today said that damage to houses alone may amount to Rs 1,000 crore. He said that the ongoing house damage assessment comprises three layers to ensure deserving families receive compensation while undeserving ones do not.
Launching the ceremonial financial assistance amounting to Rs 11.28 crore to 494 anganwadi centres damaged by floods, the Chief Minister said that the assistance is for the repair and restoration of anganwadi centres.
Speaking to the media, he said the assessment of damaged houses started and the assessment of 8,325 houses is complete. "The damage of these houses has been assessed to be around Rs 150 crore. Around 40,000-50,000 houses are yet to be assessed. Thus, the total assessment of damage may go up to Rs 1,000 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured us of providing the amount for the repair of houses. He, however, stressed that the assessment should be a foolproof one," he said.
The Chief Minister said that the assessment of damaged houses comprises three layers. "The current assessment will be complete by August 30. From September 1 to 10, a public hearing will take place regarding the list prepared by August 30. The list to be prepared after the public hearing will be subject to random checking of around ten per cent by officials to prepare the final list for compensation," he said.
The Chief Minister said, "In some areas, houses got damaged completely. We are contemplating model housing colonies. The government of India and other organizations will provide assistance in these areas."
The Chief Minister said, "We've talked to banks and insurance companies for loan waivers and easier settlement of insurance claims. However, only a small number of flood-affected people are approaching banks and insurance companies. So far, insurance companies have received only 1703 claims and settled 176 of them. And likewise, only 319 of 2.27 lakh flood-affected borrowers applied for loan moratorium."
The chief minister said that over the years, the government's thrust has been on the Brahmaputra insofar as floods are concerned. "This time around, we came to know that tributaries can also create havoc. So, we need to think about flood-control measures to tame the tributaries as well. In addition to this issue, some tributaries have encountered dead-ends for various reasons. We need to rejuvenate such tributaries for the smooth passage of waters," he said.
The Chief Minister dismissed calls for an investigation into the flood causes linked to activities in neighbouring states such as Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that "the urgent priority is to conduct studies to find solutions for floods. We need to have substantial evidence with us when we blame the neighbouring states. The government will lay importance on long-term flood-control measures."
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