Flood-affected people in Numaligarh demand compensation from NEEPCO, stage protest

A Correspondent

Numaligarh: People from almost 25 flood-affected villages near Numaligarh-Morangi staged agitation on Tuesday at the Morangi Revenue Circle office demanding compensation. Altogether 91 villages in Golaghat were affected in the wave of flood that hit the district after NEEPCO released excess water from the reservoir of the Doyang Hydro Electric Project situated in Wokha district of Nagaland on July 27, 2018. After almost a year since this man-made disaster by NEEPCO caused heart-rending damage to the people living downstream, no compensation has been offered to the flood-affected families so far.

Houses, agricultural lands, crops, fisheries and livestock were hugely damaged by the catastrophic flood and thousands of people were also stranded in relief camps for several days. There is strong resentment among the people as no compensation has been paid by NEEPCO to the affected people so far.

Hundreds of villagers residing in the riverside areas of Dhansiri came out and staged strong agitation at the Morangi Revenue Circle Office premises demanding proper compensation as soon as possible. People also warned the administration that more strong agitation would be carried out if no compensation was paid soon. During this monsoon season there is also the probability that these areas might be hit by flood again but there are allegations about lack of attention from the government’s side in taking up anti-erosion measures in these areas. A plea letter was also submitted to the Revenue Circle Officer for taking up the issue with the higher authorities for releasing compensation for the affected people soon.

In an another agitation programme in the area by Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti, activists of the organization burnt the effigy of the Union Water Resource Minister on NH-39 demanding the government to recognize the flood problem of Assam as a national problem. The organization also asked NEEPCO to pay the proper compensation to the flood-affected people of the area soon.

Morangi Anchalik president of Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti, Pintu Gogoi said that if natural resources of Assam like coal, tea and oil are regarded as national resources of the State, why was the flood problem of Assam not recognized as a national problem by the government? He warned of strong agitation by the organization in the coming days if the government did not fulfill its demand.

Also read: First wave of flash flood hits 28 revenue villages in Lakhimpur