With about 101 people killed due to the devastating floods in Assam, the Indian Ports Association (IPA) has decided to pitch in for rescue and rehabilitation efforts for the lakhs of people affected in successive waves of flooding.
As a result, the apex body representing India's major ports has contributed ₹5 crore for this purpose to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
Senior officials from the IPA, such as its chairperson, Sushil Kumar Singh, and managing director, Vikas Narwale, were pictured alongside Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at Guwahati on Monday, from where they handed over the contribution.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal—who is also the former CM of the state—praised the move, calling it a "meaningful step towards the Union Government's broader efforts to support Assam and stand with our people during this difficult time".
Though the flood situation in Assam saw a slight improvement on Tuesday—with zero fatalities reported over the last 24 hours and the number of affected people reducing to 1.12 lakh people across seven districts—various parts of the state remain fraught with flood risks.
A total of 441 villages across 25 districts, such as Golaghat, Sivasagar, Hojai, Jorhat, Darrang, Lakhimpur and Nagaon, remain some of the worst-hit spots.
Among these, Golaghat remains the worst affected with more than 65,000 people affected, followed by Sivasagar and Nagaon in a distant second with less than 20,000 affected each.
Sivasagar saw the most casualties at 49, while Cachar recorded 22 deaths.
As per the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) 47 relief camps are currently operational, in which 7,982 displaced people are taking shelter, while another 45 relief are operational in the affected areas.
As the deluge continues, the Centre and the Assam government continue to extend support for relief, rehabilitation and medical assistance, in a bid to move towards recovery.
