AAUA demands declaration of floods and erosion in Assam as national problem

LAKHIMPUR: The All Assam Unemployed Association (AAUA) has once again demanded the Union Government declare the flood and erosion problem of Assam a ‘national problem’ and to take adequate steps in the real sense to mitigate the burning problem of the state. 

Regarding the demand, the AAUA issued a press release to the media on Friday. In the press release, AAUA central committee president Dharmendra Deuri and general secretary Jiban Rajkhowa expressed vehement resentment over the non-arrival of any Union Minister to take stock of the grim flood situation in the state. 

“At present, almost all the districts of Assam have been reeling under unprecedented flooding. The flood situation is still grim across the state. But it is unfortunate that the Central Government has not sent a single representative to assess the current terrible situation in the state caused by the flood. If the resources of Assam are national resources, why shouldn’t the flood problem of Assam be a national problem? In the election and other rallies, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika said several times that Assam would be a flood- and erosion-free state. But it has not happened in reality. So, the Union Government should declare the flood and erosion of Assam a national problem and take scientific steps to mitigate the burning problem at the earliest,” the press release said.

Through the same press release, the AAUA president and general secretary demanded the central government stop ongoing construction of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP) until and unless the lives and properties of the people living in the downstream areas of the River Subansiri from Dhemaji district to Majuli are secured. 

“During the days in 2014, before the Lok Sabha election, when the anti-big dam organisations and parties were protesting against the 2000 MW mega river dam project, BJP leader Rajnath Singh took part in one of such rallies and said that the BJP would close the project if the party could form the government at the Centre. But it did not happen, and the government of the party paid attention to completing the project. The current wave of flash floods caused by the release of excessive water from the catchment area of the mega river dam project through the River Subansiri inundated more than two hundred villages located downstream of the river, covering Kadam, North Lakhimpur, Bihpuria, and Narayanpur Revenue Circles of Lakhimpur district”, the AAUA president said in the same press release while demanding the security of the life properties of downstream people.

It should be noted here that the current wave of floods has affected Lakhimpur district critically due to the release of a huge amount of excessive water from the catchment areas of the Subansiri and Ranganadi hydroelectric projects. Lakhimpur district is the worst hit, with an inundation of 247 revenue villages under seven revenue circles and over 1.66 lakh people suffering, followed by Darrang with more than 1.47 lakh people and Golaghat with almost 1.07 lakh people reeling under floodwaters, according to reports found by district disaster management authorities.

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