Archive · 29 Jul 2026
Assam Floods: Ex-MLA Urges Special River Basin Project
A former Congress MLA in Assam, Debabrata Saikia, has asked the state government to start a special project to help the areas affected by recent floods.
He wants the government to use funds from the District Mineral Foundation Trust and the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana to rebuild homes, restore livelihoods, and protect the environment in the Dikhow River Basin.
The floods hit several districts hard, causing many people to lose their homes and livelihoods.
Saikia believes that mining and other human activities might have made the floods worse, so he wants a team of experts to study this and suggest ways to prevent future floods.
He also thinks the current help from the government is not enough.
Former Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia urges Assam government to launch a Special Integrated Dikhow River Basin Rehabilitation Project.
The project aims to provide long-term rehabilitation and ecological restoration for flood-affected families.
Nearly three lakh people were impacted by the floods in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and Nazira Co-District.
Saikia proposes a high-level expert committee to investigate the causes of the floods and recommend mitigation measures.
He calls for permanent disaster-resilient housing, livelihood restoration grants, and stricter monitoring of mining activities.
- Who
- Debabrata Saikia, Former Congress MLA and Leader of the Opposition in Assam
- What
- Urging the Assam government to launch a Special Integrated Dikhow River Basin Rehabilitation Project
- When
- After the recent devastating floods in Upper Assam
- Where
- Assam, India
- Why
- To provide long-term rehabilitation and ecological restoration for flood-affected families
Proponents of Special Project
Government's Current Approach
Rehabilitation Measures
Proponents of Special Project
Long-term rehabilitation project under DMFT and PMKKKY for ecological restoration and livelihood recovery.
Government's Current Approach
Temporary relief measures and existing compensation packages.
Causes of Floods
Proponents of Special Project
Scientific assessment needed to determine if mining activities and human interventions aggravated the floods.
Government's Current Approach
No explicit mention of investigating the causes of the floods.
- Affected Districts
- Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, Nazira Co-District
- Impacted Population
- Nearly three lakh people
- Proposed Project
- Special Integrated Dikhow River Basin Rehabilitation Project
- Proposed Funds
- District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) and Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)
- Proposed Committee
- High-level expert committee including officials, scientists, and affected community representatives