Floods in north-east becoming a perpetual phenomenon: DoNER minister

Floods in the north-east have virtually become a perpetual phenomenon and a serious and comprehensive strategy is required to handle it, Union minister Jitendra Singh said today.

Floods in the north-east, particularly in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, have virtually become a perpetual phenomenon, occurring year after year and causing tremendous loss to lives and property, Singh said after a research report on the Assam floods, prepared by the Delhi Alumni Association of Assam (DAAA), was presented to him here.

The minister for Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER) said a serious and comprehensive strategy to avoid such occurrences again and again was needed urgently.

He said the DoNER Ministry had, on its own, helped set up the "Brahmaputra Study Centre" at the Gauhati University.

The Centre had started functioning in this regard and the first major research study, initiated a few months ago, dealt with the ways and means to control and prevent the occurrence of floods, Singh said.

For this purpose, he said, experts of international repute were also being involved.

The minister said a number of options were suggested in the past for prevention of a flood-like situation and these included embankments along the Brahmaputra river, dredging for de-siltation in the large rivers, construction of a high gravity concrete dam etc.

However, Singh added that a final call could only be taken after studying the various aspects, including feasibility, cost-effectiveness and sustainable viability, of any future arrangement.