Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 3 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday spoke over the phone with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the situation arising from the devastating floods in the state.
Expressing his deep sympathies on behalf of the people of Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Dhami conveyed solidarity with the people of Assam and said, "The Uttarakhand government stands ready to extend every possible support and assistance during this difficult time."
He also prayed for the early restoration of normalcy in the flood-affected areas and for the safety and well-being of all citizens.
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced that the State Government will formulate a comprehensive, science-based, long-term strategy to address the persistent problem of riverbank erosion in the state with the active involvement of experts from IIT Guwahati.
Chief Minister Sarma made this announcement while visiting erosion-affected areas of Dibrugarh district on the first day of his four-day tour of Upper Assam.
During the visit, he inspected the erosion-hit areas of Pukhurijan to assess the ground situation and interact with affected residents.
Sarma acknowledged that while the Water Resources Department has been implementing short-term erosion control measures, the scale and recurring nature of erosion caused by the Brahmaputra demands a scientific and sustainable solution.
Interacting with the local residents, the Chief Minister informed them that the department has already proposed an erosion mitigation project worth Rs 90 crore for the affected areas.
He said the project would be further strengthened with technical expertise and scientific inputs from IIT Guwahati to ensure durable and effective protection of vulnerable riverbank areas.
Reiterating the Government's commitment to safeguarding lives and livelihoods, Sarma assured the residents that all efforts would be made to implement long-term measures capable of addressing the challenge of river erosion in a holistic manner.
Meanwhile, floods continue to impact several parts of Assam, with five districts currently affected by the deluge, according to the latest official figures.
The flood-affected districts are Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Dhemaji. A total of 21 revenue circles and 335 villages have been affected by the floods.
The floods have impacted 1,36,203 people, while 15,422 hectares of crop area have been affected, causing significant damage to agricultural land.
The human toll has also risen, with three deaths reported from Sivasagar district. In addition, two persons remain missing, both from Sivasagar.
Officials said no urban flood districts have been reported in the current flood situation.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as relief and response measures remain underway in the affected areas.