As floods and landslides create havoc in Assam, with 25 dead so far and more than 7.25 lakh people affected, government officers are working round the clock to save lives and livestock and provide relief. A total of 27 districts have been affected badly by floods this year owing to unnaturally heavy rainfall.
When news came about one person drowning in flood waters in Silchar in Cachar district, an IAS officer rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation and assured all help to the victim’s family. The officer is Deputy Commissioner of Cachar district, 2013-batch IAS officer Keerthi Jalli, who’s in news for her dedicated work in this flood-hit district. She is freely interacting with the flood affected people and distributing relief items to them.
Instead of holding meetings on the flood situation in her office, she is going to the affected areas and helping the people. She travels on a boat every day to inspect the situation in the flood affected areas and provide all necessary assistance.
Indian Masterminds interacted with Ms. Keerthi Jalli to get a firsthand report of the flood situation in Cachar district, and the relief work being carried out by the administration under her guidance.
FLOOD RELIEF
Ms. Jalli said that although the overall flood situation in the district has improved, the low-lying areas are still under water. She requested the flood affected people to become more vigilant as flood waters have entered and submerged new areas. She also urged the public, especially the children, to keep themselves away from flood waters to prevent any untoward incident.
Health camps for addressing the immediate health issues of flood affected people are being organised at the flood relief camps and medicines being provided.
“From cattle feed to drinking water – all essential stuff is being provided. Cleanliness and sanitation work is going on in all schools,colleges and relief camps where flood victims have taken shelter. Water purifying packets are being distributed in flood affected areas from time to time. We are also focusing on the living conditions in the relief camps, where fogging is being done regularly to prevent outbreak of diseases from mosquito and other flying insects,” Ms. Jalli told Indian Masterminds.
FOCUSSING ON HYGIENE
At the same time, the officer is also urging the people to follow hygiene norms related to safer health conditions. She informed that steps are being augmented for health care facilities for the people affected by floods. As many as 23 water supply schemes which were hit by floodwater were revived and brought to functional status. Till Tuesday, 62,468 people were placed in 284 relief camps and the district administration sanctioned 760 quintal rice, 779 quintal dal, 112 quintal salt, and 6051 litres of edible oil as relief materials.Distribution of baby food in the relief campsis also in progress.
ASSAM FLOOD
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), total death toll has reached 27 till now. Nineteen out of the total death count were due to floods, while five people were killed in landslides in different districts. Meanwhile, more than 7.19 lakh people have been affected in 22 out of the 34 districts of the state.A total of 7,19,425 people, including 1,41,050 children, from 2,095 villages in 22 districts have been affected. A total of 26,489 stranded people were rescued with the help of disaster response forces and volunteers. 624 relief camps and 729 relief distribution centres have been opened in the affected areas where1,32,717 people are living as of now.
More than 1,30,596.12 hectares of crops have been affected due to floods.Assam Rifles, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indian Army and paramilitary forces are assisting the district administration in evacuating people from the flood-affected areas. So far, 25 metric tonnes of essential commodities have been airdropped with the help of the Indian Air Force. Also, four teams of NDRF with 20 boats have been deployed in Cachar, Hojai, Nagaon and Dima Hasao. An ISRO team is using drone and satellite data to assess the damage in Dima Hasao region.
