Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi has formally approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pressing for the recent devastating floods across three districts of Assam to be officially designated as a national disaster. In his communication, the Sivasagar legislator advocated for financial compensation of Rs 10 lakh to be extended to every single affected household and business enterprise struggling in the aftermath of the calamity.
Comprehensive Demands and Probe into Causes
The Sivasagar MLA outlined a detailed 22-point charter focusing on immediate relief measures, proper rehabilitation, and long-term reconstruction efforts across the battered region. Pointing to the events of July 19, he called for a CBI inquiry to investigate the underlying causes of the inundation, specifically highlighting alleged illegal coal mining activities along the Assam-Nagaland border alongside unauthorized sand and stone extraction within the Dikhow riverbed.
Special Reconstruction Package and Relief Delivery
To restore normalcy, a special reconstruction package amounting to Rs 1,000 crore has been sought, with priority distribution directed toward rebuilding the heavily damaged infrastructure in the worst-hit Sivasagar and Nazira Assembly constituencies. Furthermore, the central government has been urged to intervene and ensure that the Rs 15,000 one-time financial assistance previously announced by the state administration reaches all eligible victims, including those omitted due to administrative errors.
Support for Education, Livelihoods, and Housing
Addressing the plight of displaced residents, the memorandum demands alternative land parcels and permanent homes for families from Nepalikhuti village who lost everything. Education support forms a major component, with calls for free textbooks, school uniforms, and a complete waiver of admission fees extending from primary school up to the degree level for affected students. Financial backing is also requested for agricultural producers, small tea growers, agarwood cultivators, livestock farmers, fisheries, and local handloom sectors.
Infrastructure Protection and River Management
Long-term flood mitigation measures form a key pillar of the proposal, which calls for the strengthening of fragile embankments, the installation of modern sluice gates, and comprehensive desiltation operations across the Dikhow, Darika, Janji, Mitong, and Namdang rivers. Grants have also been requested to restore schools, places of worship, and various public structures damaged during the deluge.
