SPARE A THOUGHT FOR FLOOD-HIT PEOPLE OF ASSAM
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MEANINGS are given in BOLD and ITALIC
Flood in Assam is an annual phenomenon (occurrence, event, happening, fact, and situation). Even so, the ravages (cause severe and extensive damage to) of the flood this year have been one of the worst. At least 16 lakh people have been affected with the death toll touching two dozen. The plight (a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation) of the residents of Majauli, the world’s largest riverine island, encapsulates (enclose (something) in or as if in a capsule) the tragedy that has struck the most populous North eastern state.
Nearly half of the two lakh population of this island has been marooned (leave (someone) trapped and alone in an inaccessible place, especially an island). As the people depend on ponds for drinking water even in normal times, they do not have access to potable water. Roads and other means of communication have been damaged and fears of contagious ((of a disease) spread from one person or organism to another, typically by direct contact) diseases stare the people in the face. The situation in many areas in the mainland is also similar.
For Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal the flood constitutes the severest challenge since he took over. His first and foremost task is to reach all the marooned people with relief material. There are thousands of people in over 300 relief camps in all the districts. They need to be provided with food materials, drinking water and medicare.
For a change, Guwahati has transferred enough funds to every district administration so that they can undertake relief work on a war-footing and pay compensation to the kith and kin of those who were drowned (die through submersion in and inhalation of water).
The Central government has assured the state that funds would not be a problem in providing relief to the flood-affected. As the Assembly was in session, the government was able to get a fair idea of the situation from the people’s own representatives.
The villain of the piece is the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. It is almost impossible to tame (broken, broken-in) the river except through interlinking of rivers which, again, is more in the realm (a field or domain of activity or interest) of imagination than reality. However, the experiences of the past and the present should prompt the government to evolve a robust (long-lasting, well made; sturdy, strong, strongly made) flood management system which should come into force the moment the water-level in the river starts rising.
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