Assam govt announces Rs 4 lakh aid for families of Guwahati landslide victims
GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Sunday announced ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to families of the five persons killed in landslides in the city in the last few days.
Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (DoHUA) minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, announcing the financial aid, said there have been "logistical challenges" in tackling the waterlogging problem of Guwahati city and corrective steps are being taken.
He was talking to reporters after chairing a review meeting with the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and other concerned departments to assess the ongoing relief measures and enhance preparedness for artificial flooding caused by incessant rainfall in Guwahati.
The meeting focused on immediate response protocols, distribution of essential relief materials and streamlining coordination among departments to ensure timely assistance to flood-affected citizens.
The city had witnessed massive waterlogging since the early hours of Friday due to heavy rains, with main localities still inundated.
Landslides in the city and outskirts had claimed five lives during the period.
Baruah said the meeting decided to grant an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the five victims.
He said ensuring timely delivery of relief materials is a top priority for the department and items such as mosquito repellents, candles, sanitary napkins and baby food are being prioritised for quick distribution in areas hit by waterlogging and power outages.
"Relief materials will now be pre-positioned in elevated spots across flood-prone zones so that they can reach affected families within 2 to 3 hours of flooding," he added.
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