Majuli suffering from the worst ever flood

Majuli is experiencing one of the most horrifying flood conditions with villagers trapped under water-logging situation since July 25. The situation of this water logging condition will continue till the end of monsoon, an assesment report prepared by a group of NGOs stated and total recession of the water to take effect by the end of October.

People are devoid of any employment opportunity becasue of this water logging situation. People are also fast exhausting their available food stock. There is a posibility of starvation if situaiton does not improve and immediate measures are not taken by State Govt. Due to inadequate response of the Government in terms of food support, the people have started to reduce their meal intake from the normal schedule in order to save the stock of food stuffs.

The report says that this year Majuli is experiencing the worst flood due to the breach of embankment at Matmara in North Lakhimpur district that channelled the entire water of Brahmaputra into Luit and raised the water of Luit to an unprecedented level. Luit being a small river compared to the Brahmaputra, could not resist the pressure of water from the Brahmaputra and breached embankments at two points channellising the entire water inside the Majuli island on July 25.

All the schools are closed and expected to remain closed for another two months. The mid day meal also not received by the students since last month and there is a chance of mass scale malnutrition.Although due to prevalence of superb coping mechanism many of the un-displaced affected families have shelters, but the livestock is totally without shelter and food. If this situation continues, then there is a chance of increased number of loss of livestock.

As 90 per cent of the drinking water source is completely inundated by water and with only 68 hand tube-well installed by the Government, majority of the affected families have been forced to drink flood water, so the prevalence of water-borne diseases has increased many fold and this may turn into an epidemic at any point of time.

A total of 2,543 lactating mothers are living without proper diet and hence the mother and children are at great risk of anaemia and other diseases associated with malnutrition.

ONGC tenders apology over Rangghar rig

Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Mr. R. S. Sarma has apologized on behalf of the ONGC before the people of Assam over the incident of installation of an oil rig near Rangghar in Sivasagar district. He agreed that it was a mistake on the part of the ONGC to start operations at the historical site. Sarma also said that the ONGC would take the responsibility of all the monuments for their upkeep, maintenance and repair, and that it would contribute immediately to the State Government’s relief fund for the flood-affected.

An official press release forwarded by Deba Kumar Bora, press advisor to the Chief Minister, said that the ONGC CMD during a high-level meting between the Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers, BK Handique and the ONGC management in New Delhi on Wednesday, tendered his apology over the incident.

“Handique expressed his concern over the recent development vis-à-vis ONGC and the local administration and also the installation of ONGC rig near Rangghar and subsequent agitational programme against the ONGC called by the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union. The Minister said that the situation could have been cordially sorted out avoiding confrontation,” the release said.