Assam flood toll reaches 80, over 2 lakh people affected
GUWAHATI: The death toll in Assam floods has increased to 80 with two more fatalities, while eight districts and 2.12 lakh people have still remained affected, according to officials here. The officials said that both the latest deaths were reported from Sivasagar district. With these, the toll in this year's deluge has mounted to 80.
The state government has announced a six-month moratorium on repaying all types of loans availed by flood-affected people, while also demanding a support package from the Centre for the relief and rehabilitation of people ravaged by an unprecedented deluge.
A total of 21 revenue circles and 437 villages in eight districts of Golaghat, Sivasagar, Biswanath, Charaideo, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Jorhat, Dhemaji and Nagaon continued to be affected by the floods.
The number of impacted people was at 2,12,400, with Charaideo being the worst-hit with nearly 80,000 people affected, followed by Sivasagar (71,000) and Jorhat (40,000).
The administration was operating 112 relief camps and relief distribution centres in four districts, taking care of 75,583 affected people at present.
Crop area of 17,198.09 hectares has been submerged across Assam, while embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have also been damaged by flood waters.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said a special meeting of the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC), attended by representatives from the RBI, NABARD, SBI and all other commercial banks, decided on a relief scheme for the customers who availed loans in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts.
"The SLBC decided that a moratorium of six months will be offered to all flood-affected people in these districts," he added.
Sarma further said that the tenure of loans availed by all flood-affected people can be extended from one year up to seven years in all banks, depending on the type of debt.
The Assam government on Friday decided to approach insurance companies and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) for expeditious disposal of claims and providing a moratorium to their customers from the four districts which have been badly affected by the floods this year, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Assessment of damage to houses, livestock, etc., is expected to be completed shortly, and the government will try to ensure that funds for repair are disbursed at the earliest, he added.
The announcement came a day after the CM said that he chaired a special meeting of the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC), in which it was decided that a six-month moratorium would be offered to all flood-affected people in four districts for repaying loans.
Addressing the media after chairing a Cabinet meeting here, Sarma said, “We discussed at length on how to provide more relief to the people at this crucial time.”
He said it was decided to convene a meeting with both private and government insurance companies on August 5 to urge them to expeditiously settle claims against insured damaged vehicles, livestock, etc.
“For the four districts of Sivasagar, Chariadeo, Jorhat and Golaghat, we will request them to collect the claims themselves and settle them at the earliest,” he added.
The CM further said the government will also meet the NBFCs on August 5 with the request to grant a moratorium and such benefits to borrowers from these four districts.
Sarma said assessment of damages caused to houses is being done in the worst-hit districts and is expected to be completed within a day or two, so that disbursement of Rs 15,000 per family as interim relief can be done within August.
While distribution of free textbooks has already commenced, money from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the redistribution of free school uniforms in the districts will be done on Saturday, Sarma added.
He said that the assessment of permanent damage to public infrastructure will start from August 7, and it will be carried out in a mission mode so that it is completed in 10 to 15 days, and funds for repair can be released by the month's end.