The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Monday, affecting over 5.15 lakh people across 22 of the state’s 35 districts. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Lakhimpur district to assess the situation, worsened by the release of excess water from North Eastern Electric Power Corporation’s (NEEPCO) Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant on May 30.
Meanwhile, the flood scenario in Manipur also turned alarming, with the Met department warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by gusty winds across several states over the next two days.
Sarma met NEEPCO officials in Lakhimpur on Monday morning and reviewed water release protocols. In a video shared on social media, he was seen discussing technical measures, public alerts and coordination with the district administration. He instructed that water be released in phases rather than all at once and called for immediate actions based on rainfall forecasts.
Sarma criticised the existing alert mechanism, saying: “Just sending WhatsApp messages is not enough. There is a big gap between letter and spirit.” He stressed the need for direct communication between NEEPCO and the Lakhimpur disctrict commisioner and reiterated his earlier suggestion to establish a hotline.
Lakhimpur MLA Manab Deka also pointed out the “casual nature” of the alerts sent ahead of the May 30 water release. A NEEPCO official said they received rainfall information at 7.30pm on May 29 and released the water at 1.40am the next day.
Sarma later visited flood-hit Amtala, where a 1989 embankment breach submerged five villages. The deluge impacted 129 villages across five revenue circles, affecting 46,687 people. Additionally, 454.82 hectares of agricultural land and 22,871 livestock were affected. The administration has set up three relief camps housing 425 people and 49 distribution centres. NDRF and four SDRF teams have been deployed.
Rain disrupted Sarma’s visit. According to ASDMA, two more flood-related deaths were reported in Barak Valley, taking the toll to ten since May 29.
Sarma-Sangma talks
In the evening, Sarma met Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma in Guwahati to discuss Guwahati’s recurring flood woes, the inter-state border issue and a joint power and irrigation project.
Sangma said both states had agreed to task the North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC) with a satellite imaging-based study of forest areas to be
completed in three months. “Once the report is ready, we will consult IIT Roorkee and devise concrete solutions,” he added.
Manipur woes
In Manipur, rivers overflowing from incessant rainfall flooded parts of Imphal. Over 150 houses were swept away in Heingang Mayai Leikai. Authorities urged people in low-lying areas to remain alert.
Congress spokesperson N. Bupenda Meitei called for a comprehensive flood management policy. State party president K. Meghachandra Singh has written to governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, seeking accountability and compensation for the affected.