PM Narendra Modi holds meet with 6 CMs to take stock of flood situation

GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a virtual meeting with the chief ministers of six states, including Assam, to take stock of the prevailing flood situation.
Prime Minister Modi reviewed the response and relief of the states in view of the catastrophic flood and observed that since most of the states of the country have witnessed beyond normal monsoon rain this year, most parts of the state have borne the brunt of floods.
“Reviewing the flood of Assam, Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep condolences to the loss of lives in the deluge. The Prime Minister said that though personally he wanted to make a visit to all the flood affected states, the present situation prevented him from doing this. He also assured all help and assistance to the affected states and said that all suggestions given by the Chief Ministers would receive due importance as these suggestions would be adequately considered while drafting the future course of actions for helping the states from flood and erosion,” the Assam chief minister’s office said.
Sonowal, while participating in the virtual meeting, apprised the Prime Minister of the large-scale destructions that the floods in Assam have caused this time around. Drawing his attention to the widespread damage caused by the flood, Sonowal told the Prime Minister that this year so far floods have affected 30 districts.
He also said that the flood and its related manifestations like landslides have taken the lives of 158 people in the state. Besides, the floods have caused large-scale damage to physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, culverts, etc. It also inundated agricultural lands, killing large number of animals. He also requested the Prime Minister for Centre’s help in reconstructing and repairing of schools, anganwadi centres and other public properties.
Sonowal also thanked the Prime Minister for being in touch with him from the very beginning over telephone and taking stock of the flood in the state. He also thanked him for his role in releasing Rs 386 crore to State Disaster Relief Fund which helped the state in tackling the scourge of flood and expediting rescue, relief and rehabilitation processes.
Along with the chief minister of Assam, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, his Kerala counterpart P. Vijayan, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thakarey and Karnataka CM BS Yeddiyurappa also presented the flood scenario of their respective states to the Prime Minister. Initiated by Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, the virtual meeting was attended among others by Union health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, cabinet secretary, other senior officers of the central government, chief secretaries of the concerned states and senior officers of the NDRF.
Along with the chief minister, the virtual meeting was attended among others by water resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, CM’s media advisor Hrishikesh Goswami, CM’s legal advisor Santanu Bharali, chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, additional chief secretaries Jishnu Baruah and Sayedain Abbassi, CM’s principal secretary Sanjay Lohiya, CEO ASDMA S Manivannan and special commissioner and secretary Ranjan Chakraborty.