Coexisting with floods: Plan afoot for hygienic shelters in flood-prone areas

GUWAHATI: Unable to tame flood to minimize its fury, the State government has conceived the idea of erecting multi-purpose flood shelters in flood-prone areas in the State so as to let affected people coexist with the natural calamity.

The brain behind this innovative and first of its kind move is that of the ASDMA (Assam State Disaster Management Authority), Government of Assam. The entire plan is to provide hygienic shelters to flood-affected people in the State and to put an end to the age-old shelters given to such people in schools and other public buildings with makeshift arrangements, often in inhuman conditions.

Each of the multi-purpose flood shelters will be a two-storeyed dwelling structure much above flood water level. Such dwelling structures will have separate toilet facilities for males and females. The area of each of the two floors of such a centre will be of 5,000 sq ft. The sites of such shelters will be chosen by keeping it in mind that boats can reach the platforms of such structures when there are floods.

As pilot projects, three such shelters have been sanctioned – one each at Karatipar in Majuli district, Bahgorah in Lakhimpur district and Konoragaon in Barpreta district. Each of the shelters will cost Rs 2.51 crore. And if the shelters are found to be effective in providing hygienic living condition to flood-affected people, more such shelters will be erected in other flood-prone areas in the State.

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