UDALGURI, Nov 30: The Golondi river flowing by the eastern side of Udalguri town has now come to be regarded as 'sorrow of Udalguri area'. For, once a year, it unleashes its fury -- bringing not only tempestuous flood waters but at the same time a flood of tears in the eyes of poor farmers. These farmers have had their cultivable lands swept away every year by this wild and turbulent river especially during rainy season.

GUWAHATI, Nov 30: Flood-ravaged Assam has been able to catch the attention of the international community. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has sanctioned Rs 7.5 crore to the Indian Red Cross Society to carry out flood-relief operation in Assam. The flood-relief operation of the IRCS consists of three broad components, namely emergency relief, health care and capacity-building of the flood victims.

Altogether 14,000 flood-affected families have already been covered for all the health care facilities under the flood-relief scheme for Assam. Moreover, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is planning to expand the existing capacity building component to include some practical interventions such as pre-stocking of relief supplies in main flood-prone areas, training of Red Cross volunteers, disaster preparedness and response management.

Talking to newspersons here today the information delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Mr Fernando Soares said that flood victims of Assam are in acute need of relief, basic health care, food, tarpaulins, shelter and other household materials. The Indian Red Cross Society, along with the International Federation, had provided immediate relief like the distribution of mosquito nets, kitchen sets, blankets and garments among the flood victims of Assam in the aftermath of the August floods, he said, adding that the Red Cross Society, instead of adopting short term emergency flood-relief operation, is contemplating to go for permanent flood-relief operation in Assam.

Mr Soares said that altogether, twelve doctors, ten nurses and six pharmacists have been appointed to carry out permanent health care services for the flood victims in six districts of Assam. He said that the Red Cross would endeavour to include the flood-victim communities under capacity-building programmes so that they can face this natural disaster in a more scientific way during and in the aftermath of annual floods.

The Health Delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Dr Jeri Veinio said that the primary health care centres in flood-prone districts of Assam have failed to cater to the health care needs of the flood victims. He said that the Red Cross Society has already started to address the crucial need to procure and distribute medicines, to train local health staff and provide all logistic support to mobile medical teams of the Red Cross so that they can reach the remote communities affected by the floods.

NEW DELHI, Nov 29 (UNI): The Centre has approved the implementation of the Rs 542-crore Pagaldiya Dam project in Nalbari district of Assam through the Brahmaputra Board.

The project, which would provide irrigation facilities and also generate hydro power, was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) last evening, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters today.

Located at Thalkuchi village, it would also help moderate floods in Nalbari district. The construction is expected to be completed by 2007. The earthern dam would have a main canal and two branch canals with a number of distributaries.

The height of the dam would be 26 metres and it would be 23-km long. It would have storage of 278 mcm. An additional storage space of 168 mcm would be available for flood control which would protect an area of 40,000 hectares from floods and erosion. The main canal would be 6.2-km long and the branch canal 39.5 km while the length of the distributary would be 102 km.

The project would create an annual irrigation potential of 54,160 hectares and the hydel plant would have an installed capacity of 3 MW.

NEW DELHI, Nov 28: The Union Government during the current year has not released any funds as Central Loan Assistance to Assam Government for undertaking flood control projects following the inability of the State Government to utilise the Rs 15 crore sanctioned during 1999-2000.

The Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) released Rs 15 crore as Central Loan Assistance to Government of Assam and out of the amount released the State Government has utilised Rs 9 crore for implementation of flood control scheme during the last financial year and 2000-2001 upto October, the Minister of State for Water Resources, Bijoya Chakravarty told Dhrupad Borgohain in a written reply here today.

Inability of Assam to utilise funds released for flood control work is likely to put the State Government into the docks and its case for enhancing the allocation of fund is unlikely to evoke serious response.

The State government, on the other hand, alleges that Bijoya Chakravarty, has not been able to get the allocation for flood control works into grants from loans, as she has failed to have the flood problem declared as a national problem. The allocation for flood control is sanctioned as Central Loan Assistance and has to be repaid by the States.

Meanwhile, the Planning Commission has decided against allocating additional funds for flood control programmes with regards the Prime Minister's package, which earmarked Rs 500 crore under the head. The Commission has instead stipulated that funds are to be provided from the existing plan outlays of the various Central Ministries,the Union Minister revealed in another reply.

According to the revised list of flood control projects drawn up, during the Ninth Five Year Plan Rs 81.29 crore has been earmarked for the Rs 542.90 crore Pagladiya Dam Project. The Public Investment Board has cleared the project. The Rs 10.81 crore Harrang Drainage project is expected to be completed within the current five year plan period.

The Minister also disclosed that the proposal to disburse Rs 50 crore for flood control schemes in Brahmaputra and Barak basin has been cleared by Expenditure Finance Committee for execution during the Ninth Five Year Plan period. The amount has been sanctioned as grants.

The Minister further revealed that during 1997-2000, Rs 51 crore has been disbursed to Assam Government as Central Loan Assistance for undertaking Flood Management Schemes. In addition, the Assam Government has also received Rs 10 crore during 1998-99 and 1999-2000 from Non Lapsable Pool of Resources for undertaking short term flood control measures.

GUWAHATI, Nov 12: Red Cross relief materials worth at least a Rs 1crore has arrived in the city and supplementary relief consignments worth more than Rs 50 lakh is expected to arrive soon to provide medical relief to thousands of victims in five of the worst affected districts of Assam hit by this year's monsoon floods.

A three-member delegation from the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) arrived here recently to take fresh stock of the extent of damages caused by this year's floods.

Dr Jerie Veneo, medical delegate from the headquarters of the International Red Cross at Geneva, Marc Roose, relief delegate from the Belgian society of the IFRC and Emmanuel Campbell, regional cooperation delegate from the regional headquarters of the IFRC at New Delhi, have camped in Guwahati to tour the five worst affected districts -- Dhubri, Nalbari, Morigaon, Hajo, Dhemaji and Mangoldoi, where relief material will be distributed. Preliminary assessment of relief requirements has already been completed.

"Considering the extent of damages, relief material worth Rs 1.5 crore will be required. Materials worth about Rs 1 crore has already been dispatched, while more relief consignments will arrive in a few day's time," said Dr Veneo, who is in charge of the health department. He added that the actual relief operations will start from next week.

"We are now working on the modalities on how to go about the relief operations. We have arranged for the accommodation of our teams in the villages. We have also made arrangements to store our equipment and medicine in the relief operation areas." The medical equipment has provisions for delivery cases, ORS, major surgeries, including gall bladder and appendix surgery, thermometers, stethoscopes, etc. There are a plenty of life-saving drugs and Dr Veneo informed that more drugs could be made available depending on the demand. Mosquito nets, kitchen utensils, blankets, tents and foodstuff will also be provided to the victims.

The relief contingent is being led by the secretary of the Assam unit of the Red Cross, Renuka Devi Borkotoky, who said that the entire relief operation will stretch over a period of six months.

GUWAHATI, Nov 9: The densely populated village of Lallimara under Kaligorah Circle of Cachar district is threatened by erosion caused by Barak River, said a press release. In the meantime two schools, three mosques, five temples, 100 acres of paddy field land and five RCC buildings were destroyed by the erosion. The local people have no other alternative way of shelter.

The whole village is now under great danger of erosion by river Barak and the local people are living in tension. The secretary of Kaligorah Border area River Erosion Protection Committee, Mr Nayeem Uddin arranged a public meeting at Janata High School in this connection recently and discussed various problems created by the erosion. A delegation headed by Mr Nayeem met the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cachar district Mr B.M. Kuiya and urged upon immediate anti-erosion measures to save the rest of the village.