Challenge: Food supply chain restoration

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The cause of concern for the State Government is train service restoration in Dima Hasao. The railway track is the lifeline for the Barak Valley and some other states in the Northeast insofar as the supply chain are concerned. One person died in the Nagaon district in the past 24 hours.

Talking to The Sentinel, ASDMA (Assam State Disaster Management Authority) CEO GD Tripathi said, "We have restored road connectivity to Haflong town. We have dropped 12 MT of food grains in Haflong with IAF helicopters. We will drop another 12 MT tomorrow. The IAF copters also brought some people stranded in Dima Hasao."

On the damaged railway line, Tripathi said, "Restoration of the railway track in Dima Hasao is the major concern for the State Government. Food supply will remain a challenging task. NF Railway assured us of restoring the line within 45 days. Further delay will affect the supply chain badly. The rescue and relief operations are going on in various flood-affected areas in the state. We have asked the district authorities to distribute adequate relief materials to the affected families."

Meanwhile, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan and Power Minister Bimal Borah reached Haflong town today. They visited several affected areas and instructed the district administration to ensure that every affected family gets adequate relief materials.

Talking to The Sentinel, Bimal Borah said, "The road communication to Haflong town has eased slightly. Rains and landslides affected the district badly. Reports from many interior areas have not reached the district headquarters because of communication problems. We have asked the district administration to help the affected people as much as possible."

Meanwhile, following an instruction from the Chief Minister, Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and Education Minister Ranoj Pegu reviewed the flood situation in the Hojai district today.

Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika visited the flood-affected areas in Tamulpur today.

The UNICEF offered ASDMA to deploy seven teams of technical specialists and consultants to support DDMAs (District Disaster Management Authorities) of the Cachar, Hojai, Darrang, Biswanath, Nagaon, Morigaon and the Dima Hasao districts. It is to help the ASDMA to monitor flood relief camps in sync with the relief camp management SOP, assess ground situation and needs and support the stakeholders in strengthening the response.

Meanwhile, the flood situation is still grim as rains lashed different parts of the state and other states in the region in the past 24 hours.

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