Flood victims in south Assam dissatisfied with govt

Flood victims in Cachar district of south Assam have complained about lack of sufficient relief material at the camps set up by the administration.

Taj Uddin, a 35-year-old rickshaw puller sheltering at a camp in Silchar town's Government Boys' Higher Secondary School, said government steps "have not been up to mark".

"A few families are fortunate to receive something. But for the majority, it has been bad and many have not received even an ounce of grain," he added.

Some of the inmates of the camp admitted that material were provided but were insufficient.

"We have received one kilo rice, 200 gm dal and 100 gm salt for a family of five members," said another flood victim, Dinesh Das (41).

He said such a paltry help was totally insufficient for a family of five.

"Many inmates have also suffered from fever but no medical help was provided and people had to buy medicines on their own, he added.

Some of the inmates also complained about lack of potable drinking water in the relief camps.

However, the district administration and the government said that ample food grains and other materials have been provided to the relief camps across the district.

Assam Irrigation Minister Ardhendu Kumar Dey said that 41 relief camps and 107 small relief centres have been set up for providing succour to the flood victims in the district.

He said that the seven medical teams were deployed in the affected regions.

According to him, a total of 1,222 quintal of rice, 227.767 quintal of dal and 66.6 quintal of salt, besides 26,300 packets of purified drinking water had been distributed to the victims by the administration.