CM asks officials to gear up relief operations

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today reviewed the flood situation in the state and asked officials of the departments concerned to gear up relief operations on a war footing.
At a high-level meeting here, the Chief Minister directed officials to make efforts to reach out to affected people and to provide relief to them, particularly women and infants.
The Health and Family Welfare Department was directed to have sufficient stock of medicine to tackle waterborne diseases, while the Public Health Engineering Department would provide pure drinking water in the flood affected areas, said a government release.
Sonowal also asked Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to instruct Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts to provide all help to the flood affected people.

The Deputy Commissioners would also be asked keep sufficient country boats ready for rescue operations.
Sonowal asked the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department to keep sufficient stock of fodder for the livestock and to provide fodder in the affected areas.

The departments concerned were reminded about the need to provide proper sanitation in relief camps.
Minister for Water Resources Keshab Mahanta and the Chief Secretary apprised the Chief Minister of the prevailing flood situation and the steps being initiated to provide succour to the affected people.
Pipersenia said there was no dearth of funds and the government had allotted the necessary funds to the Deputy Commissioners much in advance to tackle the flood situation vis-a-vis relief operation, the release said.

Mahanta said his department has taken up measures to strengthen some of the embankments and to plug the breaches wherever possible.
The Chief Minister was also apprised of the relief operation being carried out in the urban water logged areas of Guwahati city.
Sonowal has asked ministers and MLAs to fan out to the flood affected areas and to monitor relief operations there, besides directing the Deputy Commissioners and the sub divisional Officers (civil) to provide relief to the flood affected people, especially women and infants.