HT Bureau
Â
GUWAHATI, July 18: Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria presided over two important meetings with senior officials from the Water Resources and Public Health and Engineering Departments at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.
During the meetings, officials provided a comprehensive overview of the ongoing initiatives to manage floods in the state. They highlighted the various schemes undertaken by the departments and shed light on the challenges posed by floods and erosion in Assam. The presentation also covered the commendable work of the Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA).
Governor Kataria emphasised the crucial role of timely and accurate information dissemination in flood alerts. He stressed the need for prompt action and precise information to enable department functionaries to effectively respond to flood situations and facilitate the rescue and rehabilitation of affected communities.
Furthermore, Governor Kataria drew attention to the potential of utilising lands in riverside areas that remain unused after the flood season. He proposed the idea of organising temporary farming in these areas, which would not only inspire farmers but also provide a significant boost to the agricultural sector in the state.
Recognising the contribution of tributaries to the flood and erosion scenario in Assam, Governor Kataria urged officials to maintain a continuous focus on these tributaries and develop an ongoing operational strategy to address the challenges they pose.
In a subsequent meeting with the Public Health and Engineering Department, officials presented a detailed progress report on the Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission (G).
The Governor urged the department to expedite the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the state, ensuring that beneficiaries have access to piped water connections. He also emphasised the importance of selecting three best-performing districts for the scheme’s implementation and publicly recognising the three districts that require improvement. This approach aims to create healthy competition and drive the scheme towards achieving its targets effectively.
Regarding the Swachh Bharat Mission (G), the Governor commended the satisfactory implementation of the scheme and reiterated the need for upgrading community toilets and drainage systems in villages to further enhance sanitation and hygiene standards.
The meetings were attended by Jayanta Mallabaruah, minister of public health and engineering; Syedain Abbasi, additional chief secretary to the government of Assam, PHE and Water Resources Department; Kailash Karthik N, secretary to PHED and MD Jal Jeevan Mission; Bikram Kairi, MD, SBM(G); Dr Jeevan B, CEO of FREMMA; SS Meenakshi Sundaram, commissioner and secretary to the Governor; Swapna Dutta Deka, secretary to the Governor; and officials from the WCD and Raj Bhavan.
