Guwahati: Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi on Wednesday urged the Assam government to press the Centre to declare the state’s recurring floods a national disaster, while calling for a special relief package and intensified rescue and rehabilitation efforts in the worst-affected districts of Upper Assam.
Gogoi appealed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to address what he described as the immediate needs of flood-hit communities. He sought a special flood relief package for Sivasagar, Jorhat, Charaideo and other affected districts, deployment of at least 50 rescue boats with adequate personnel in the Sivasagar constituency, and timely provision of food, clothing, healthcare and other essential services to displaced families.
“I hope Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma gives due importance to the key demands that I have been consistently raising,” Gogoi said, reiterating his demand for the floods to be recognised as a national disaster.
His appeal comes as extensive flooding continues across Upper Assam following heavy rainfall and an upstream cloudburst. The floods have affected thousands of people, submerged large areas, damaged infrastructure, disrupted livelihoods, and forced many families to move into relief camps.
Gogoi said he visited the relief camp at 398 No. Phukan Nagar Primary School along with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Water Resources Minister Sushanta Borgohain, where they interacted with flood-affected residents to assess the ground situation.
Emphasising the recurring nature of Assam’s flood crisis, the Raijor Dal legislator said the state requires a long-term national strategy instead of temporary relief measures. He argued that granting national disaster status would enable greater financial support, stronger institutional backing and sustained investment in flood management and mitigation.
He also urged the government to ensure uninterrupted supplies of food, safe drinking water, medical care and other essential services for displaced residents, while speeding up rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.
With floodwaters continuing to affect several districts in Upper Assam, Gogoi said the focus should remain on immediate assistance for affected families as well as durable measures to reduce the impact of annual flooding across the region.