No national disaster tag needed for Assam flood: Assam CM

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 7, 2024

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday rejected the appeal to declare Assam floods as a national disaster stating that such a declaration would not yield any benefits for the state.

“There has to be a national solution to the flood problem, no point declaring it a national calamity,” Sarma told reporters on Sunday.

“Our focus must be on finding a national solution to the Assam floods, unlike those who only want to declare it a national problem. There will be no profit from declaring it as a national calamity,” Sarma said.

“A national solution to the problem should be announced. What will I gain if it is announced as a national problem?” he questioned.

“When people come from foreign countries, they will see it as a national problem. Nobody will come to Assam if they see it as a problem. They will come when there is a solution,” Sarma also said.

Our focus is on how to solve the problem. In 2004, there were 400 embankment breaches, while today we have only 4 such breaches. We are on the way to a solution. We need funds so that we can solve the problem,” he also said.

“This time, the Central government also provided us funds for the construction of dykes at Beki and Buridihing. They are also providing us more for flood management schemes,” he further said.

“We are working on a permanent solution. I am trying so that it can be declared a national solution,” he added.