Opposition Congress demands special package for flood victims, people in Sonamura face acute crisis of drinking water

By  Firstdespatch Desk   Aug 25, 2024

Agartala, Aug 25 (FD) A day after an all party meeting was held here on the unprecedented flood in Tripura, the opposition Congress on Sunday demanded a special package by the Centre for restoration of damage caused by the deluge.
Addressing a press conference here, the President of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee, Asish Kumar Saha and lone Congress MLA, Sudip Roy Barman said they demanded a special package for the North Eastern state.
“Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha has claimed that an estimated loss could be Rs.1500 crore, but we think the loss could be more than this. This is an unprecedented flood that the state had ever witnessed. We have given many proposals in the all party meeting for rebuilding the state and its people”, they said.
Roy Barman said the state government could send an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister or Union Finance Minister for a special package for the state.
The party also suggested forming district and sub-division-level committees to supervise the rebuilding works properly.
Chief Minister said at least 26 people died due to the flood while 1.28 lakh have taken shelters in 557 relief camps and 2,588 landslides has occurred.
Saha appreciated opposition parties for their cooperation in this hour of crisis.
When water is receding in most of the rivers, it continues to flow above the danger level in Gomati, which inundated large part of Sipahijala and Gomati districts.
People in those two districts were panicked with the forecast of the meteorological department that there could be fresh rains coupled with thunder shower.
The Sub-divisional Magistrate of Sonamura under Sipahijala district, Anup Deb said that people , who were sheltered in different camps were facing an acute crisis of drinking water. NDRF jawans have been deployed to supply drinking water to the encamped people.
Sources said that the water level in the Gomati basin in Sonamura subdivision remains as it was three days ago with no sign of abating. It may take four or five days more for the water level in the basin to recede but the major problem is the high water level of the vast Rudrasagar lake which crossed danger level in Melaghar area submerging large areas of paddy field and vegetable farms. 
Till Friday there were 4200 people in 33 relief camps but the number reached 8 thousand in the 42 relief camps till yesterday. Official sources said that food crisis and water all around had forced many people to seek shelter in the relief camps. In case there is more rainfall in the coming days the situation will go out of hand. FD JK