Sonowal meets Modi, seeks his intervention

TACKLING ASSAM FLOODS & EROSION

BY OUR BUREAU

NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI, Aug 5: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal on Friday met Prime Minister rendra Modi at the Parliament House and made a strong pitch for his persol intervention in the Assam Government’s bid to bail the State out of the recurring floods and erosion.

Apprising the Prime Minister of the devastation wrecked by the recent wave of floods in the State in terms of human lives, properties, livestock and wildlife, Sonowal sought his persol intervention to help the State in fortifying its efforts against recurring floods and erosion. He also drew the attention of Modi of the popular demand in the State of declaring ‘flood as tiol problem’.

Stating that Assam has as many as 1,250 river embankments covering a length of around 5,000 km which were built 30 to 50 years back, Sonowal said most of the embankments have crossed their endurance limit and need immediate repairing.

He also drew the attention of the Prime Minister over the uncertainty that looms large over the continuation of the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy and sought his direction in this regard. Sonowal also made a plea to the Prime Minister for a special incentive to pave the way for industrial growth in the State by taking into consideration its geographical disadvantage.

Another issue that Sonowal brought to the attention of Modi is the ongoing NRC update process in Assam and said that 68 lakh families applied their claims for the NRC and the State Government has submitted a revised estimate of Rs 882.61 crore for the exercise. Sonowal requested the Prime Minister to accord early sanction of the amount for smooth completion of the NRC update process.

On the Indo-Bangla fencing issue, the Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister that of the 280 km of the India-Bangladesh border in Assam sector, around 71 km is still unfenced.