Assam has seen more devastating floods, the worst coming in 1988. This time, though, technology and unrelenting mass media coverage have magnified the destruction as never before. As many as 125 people have lost their lives so far; 4,500 villages spread over 9.35 lakh hectares across 25 districts have been inundated and 600 animals, including 17 rhinos, five elephants and 512 deers, have perished.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas, deforestation for road building and infrastructure projects in Arunachal Pradesh, failure to desilt the Brahmaputra and corruption have been held responsible for the misery of the half a million people who have been rendered homeless.
The politician’s penchant for short-term measures and embankments, up from 200 km in 1954 to 4,134 km in 1988, is also a perceived cause. This resortment to stop-gap methods has continued despite the Union government’s claims to have released Rs 1,138.54 crore for flood control to the state in the last four years and Rs 33,000 crore in all since 1954.
Misery, though, is a money magnet. Even as a stock of damages was being taken, the state government demanded Rs 11,316 crore for immediate relief and rehabilitation; Rs 2,526 crore to repair damaged infrastructure; Rs 8,790 crore to put in place long-term measures and Rs 700 crore to deal with the waterlogging issue in the capital city of Guwahati.
