Declare Assam's flood and erosion as national problem: AASU

CORRESPONDENTS

LAKHIMPUR: Amid massive devastation and uncountable miseries caused by unprecedented flood across the State for a month, the air of North Assam on Thursday once again reverberated with the demand to tag Assam's flood and erosion as national problem.

Responding to the call by the central committee of All Assam Students' Union (AASU), the Dhemaji district unit of the organization staged 'Bikhyobh' in Dhemaji town to demand the Union Government to declare Assam's flood and erosion problem as national problem and to mitigate the problem permanently. By staging the same protest, Dhemaji district AASU further demanded to provide adequate relief items and compensation to the affected people and to rehabilitate those who were made landless by flood and erosion.

Expressing resentment over the issues, Dhemaji district AASU president Dipak Sarmah, general secretary Kalyan Gogoi said, "Flood and erosion cause massive devastation every year in Dhemaji district along with the rest of the districts of the State. But no government could resolve the burning problem permanently till date."

Notably, this year too, massive waves of flash floods caused by various rivers like Jiadhol, Kumatiya, Gai, Simen, Siyang, Lali, Rai, Na-Nadi, Missamari, Nilakh, Demou etc. have kept hundreds of villages inundated in Dhemaji district. Many families have turned homeless due to erosion and floods have swept away their livestock. Floods have breached many roads in different places. Poba Reserve Forest is under devastating erosion caused by River Siyang while Kabu Chapori, Santapur, Kechakathani, Lalukijan, Samakong areas are on the verge of extinction.

In this connection, Dipak Sarmah and Kalyan Gogoi said, "These problems affecting the people stand afresh every year in the district. But the former and incumbent governments did not initiate any effective steps to tackle these issues by adopting scientific measures. The Union Governments like to exploit the wealth of Assam but it has paid no heed to resolve the burning problems of the State."

Referring to the 'number of election-related promises' made by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister regarding the permanent resolution to the burning problems of Assam, the Dhemaji district AASU president and general secretary demanded them to declare Assam's flood and erosion as national problem and to grant special package to the State at the earliest. They further demanded the State Government to provide enough flood relief, compensation to the affected people and to rehabilitate the homeless families.

TINSUKIA: In response to AASU's appeal, the Tinsukia District Students' Union, in association with Tinsukia Regional Students' Union, observed protest at Tinsukia on Thursday. The student body reiterated its demand to declare Assam's flood and erosion issues as national problem. It also demanded special package from the Central Government for flood-affected people and sufficient relief and rehabilitation for erosion-affected people.

The protest rally, led by Raja Balimora and Samarjyoti Gohain, was joined by Binoy Dubey and Nikhil Koch, vice-president and executive member respectively of AASU central committee.

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