Dibrugarh: While post-flood management has always received attention from the Centre and the state, the same cannot be said about pre-flood management. To address this anomaly, the Dibrugarh district administration has taken a proactive stand by organising several meetings and training programmes across departments to combat potential flood crises in the district.
On May 5, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), in collaboration with the State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development (SIPRD), held a training programme for Anganwadi workers.
“During floods, Anganwadi workers take care of the health of women and children. We have organised this training programme, and our expert team guided them on how to maintain sanitation and good health during flood situations. Altogether, 178 Anganwadi workers participated in the training programme,” said Deepjyoti Hatikakoti, Project Officer of ASDMA.
He added, “Flood preparation meetings have already been held during February and March with all departments. We have taken a slew of measures to combat floods in Dibrugarh district.”
“We have also held meetings with relief camp management, the Army, Civil Defence, Air Force, SDRF and other departments. All precautionary measures have been taken and we are fully prepared to combat the floods in Dibrugarh,” Hatikakoti said.
Every year, floods create havoc in Dibrugarh district, causing immense problems for the people. The low-lying areas of Dibrugarh come under water during floods, forcing people to seek shelter in relief camps.
“Women and children are the worst sufferers during floods. Our main intention is to keep women and children safe during flood situations. Training has been provided to Anganwadi workers on how to safeguard women and children during floods. We have conducted several meetings with stakeholders and key departments and asked them to ensure the supply of all necessary and essential items during flood situations,” said an official.
In preparation for the upcoming flood season, three day-long training programmes on “Child and Women Care in Relief Camps and Temporary Shelters during Emergencies” (including the operation of Child Friendly Spaces, etc.) were organised on Monday in collaboration with SIPRD, Dibrugarh. Trained resource persons from the WCD department conducted the sessions.
“We have been clearing blocked drains using super sucker machines and JCBs in Dibrugarh. Culverts blocking the free flow of drain water were dismantled. The Dibrugarh Town Protection Drain (DTP) has been cleaned. In most areas, we are using super sucker technology,” said Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) Mayor Dr Saikat Patra.
He added, “We are taking all possible measures to combat urban flooding during the monsoon. We have conducted meetings with all relevant departments.”
“We’ve held meetings with the Health Department, Water Resources Department, and Malaria Department. It has been observed that water-borne diseases occur during the monsoon season. We have asked the concerned departments to carry out fogging operations in the DMC areas,” Patra added.
“Last year, we faced huge problems during floods. Dibrugarh was under water for five days. Most of the wards were waterlogged, and streets remained inundated for ten days. Thanachariali, a key area of the city, was completely flooded. The Dibrugarh district administration had completely failed to solve the waterlogging problem. This time, we fear that if it rains for even two consecutive days, the same situation may arise again,” said Durlov Kakoty, a resident of Dibrugarh.
He added, “Last year’s flood reminded me of the 2015 floods in Dibrugarh, which were a disaster. We do not want a repeat this time. We urge the DMC to clear all the drains. Most drains are clogged due to the dumping of garbage and plastics. The department must take the necessary steps to clear them.”
Dibrugarh has always been a flood-prone area, and every monsoon the city is heavily affected. Despite repeated instances of severe flooding over the years, the concerned departments have yet to find a sustainable solution.
Located about 450 km east of Assam’s capital, Guwahati, Dibrugarh is among the districts worst affected by floods and erosion in the state.
The devastating earthquake of 1950 caused the Brahmaputra river to change its course in many parts of the state, resulting in increased flooding and erosion over subsequent decades.
“Over the past many decades, it is estimated that the flood levels at Dibrugarh have increased at a seemingly constant rate of 0.33 metres per decade due to periodic slugs of sediment load, resulting in overall aggradation of the riverbed. Consequently, the river’s capacity to hold water has reduced over the years,” said an official at the Water Resources Department (WRD).
Dibrugarh was recently declared as the second capital of Assam, but it remains to be seen how the state government will tackle the decades-old problem of urban flooding.
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