Tura (Meghalaya)/New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Wednesday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in the state's West Garo Hills district, even as National People's Party president Conrad K Sangma raised the issue in parliament and demanded they be declared a national calamity.
A total number of 107,464 people in 132 villages were affected after the swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers submerged several villages under Phulbari, Rajabala, Singimari, Paham, Bhaitbari and Hallidayganj areas on Tuesday.
The government has announced relief for 10 days for the affected population after Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister Clement Marak, Assembly Speake, A.T. Mondal along with the West Garo Hill distric t Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi and other officials of the district assessed the situation from ground zero.
A government statement said of the displaced families, 247 are being sheltered in 20 designated camps and few makeshift camps on higher ground, but their number is expected to rise as the water level is likely to rise further in the next few days.
Raising the issue in Zero Hour, Sangma, who is the MP from Tura, urged the central government to declare the flood as a national calamity and to ensure relief to the affected areas.
He also urged the government to depute an inter-ministerial delegation to survey the affected areas and to coordinate with the state governments and other agencies so that necessary help and relief could be given to the affected people.
