Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today expressed concern at the overnight increase in number of inmates in the relief camps set up for those affected in the NDFB(S) violence in Assam, which has claimed 81 lives.
At a meeting here to review the situation, Gogoi expressed concern at the increase in number of inmates when there was no violence now and normalcy had almost returned to the four districts of Kokrajhar, Sonitpur, Chirang and Udalguri, Home Commissioner Prateek Hajela said.
Briefing the media about the Chief Minister's meeting with the DGP, Chief Secretary and other high officials on the prevailing situation, Hajela said the Chief Minister has directed the Deputy Commissioners of the concerned four districts to study the situation.
Till yesterday, 1,01,272 persons were taking shelter in 81 relief camps in the four affected districts, but the number of relief camps increased to 136 today with 1,76,440 inmates, Hazela noted.
Asked why the number of inmates increased, he replied that rumour-mongering, particularly in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts, was to be blamed for it.
Four senior IAS officials have been directed to remain in the relief camps till the number of inmates decreased appreciably, he said, adding that they would meet the camp inmates and give them confidence to return to their homes.
In Kokrajhar, there are 1,15,337 inmates in 72 relief camps inhabited by Adivasis and 61,003 inmates in 64 Bodo relief camps, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) Chief Executive Officer P K Tiwary said.
In Sonitpur there are 10,097 inmates in 10 Adivasi camps and 2,941 in four Bodo camps, in Chirang district 13 Adivasi camps have 22,251 inmates and 13 Bodo camps have 12,045 inmates, while Udalguri has four Adivasi camps with 3,852 people and six Bodo camps with 2,893 people, Tiwary said.
Regarding those who have fled to neighbouring states, he said, "The government is making arrangement for the return to Assam of 441 Adivasis lodgd in relief camps at Kumargram in Alipurduar district in West Bengal and 800 Bodos sheltered at Namaro in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
