Guwahati: People’s science organisations have sought a neutral inquiry into Assam’s July floods, alleging lapses in warnings and emergency response.The organisations demanded a high-level probe into the July 19-21 floods in Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat to determine their causes. These could include extreme rainfall, catchment degradation, mining, obstructed river channels, embankment failures and inadequate administrative preparedness, they said.All India People’s Science Network coordination committee (Assam) president Amrit Goswami said, “The disaster was initially attributed to a cloudburst in Nagaland’s Mon district. However, the IMD reportedly ruled this out and recorded extremely heavy rainfall, around 430-490% above normal in parts of Nagaland and Assam.”The organisations sought accountability for failures in forecasting, early warnings and emergency response, as well as action against officials found negligent. They also demanded adequate relief, compensation and rehabilitation, along with measures to protect affected communities and livestock from epidemics.They called for an overhaul of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority’s management system, using modern technology, trained personnel and effective ground-level response mechanisms.The organisations also sought joint action by Assam and Nagaland against illegal mining, deforestation, excavation, sedimentation and catchment degradation.They said weak Dikhow embankments and sediment-obstructed river channels had worsened the floods, which affected nearly seven to eight lakh people and damaged farmland, livestock, homes and other property.
