North East Watch

Guwahati, June 18, 2008 (PTI): Release of dam water by NEEPCO and heavy rains in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh caused flash floods in Assam’s Lakhimpur district claiming 21 lives in the last one week, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said.

“NEEPCO was earlier denying that they were releasing the water. But we sent teams to inspect for the first time and found the water being released,” Gogoi told reporters here.

“NEEPCO (North East Electric Power Corporation Ltd) has now been instructed to inform us before they release water and should do so gradually and not at one go. Last night they informed us before releasing water,” he said.

The deputy commissioners in the bordering districts of Arunachal Pradesh have also been asked to keep in touch with their counterparts in the neighbouring state for better coordination of flood control, the chief minister said.

Pointing out finding a permanent solution to the flood problem was not easy though it could be controlled, Gogoi said global warming and changes in weather conditions leading to melting of glaciers were causing floods not only in Assam but all over the world.

Visiting the worst flood-hit Lakhimpur district, he said the waters were receding though low-lying areas were still submerged. It hit the construction of a bridge by army on the breached NH-52 thereby cutting off the district from the world.

Forty five army and BSF boats had been pressed into service to assist the district administration in rescuing 2500 flood-hit people so far, while relief materials were rushed there.

Source: Assam Tribune