: Keeping in view the recent inundation in certain areas due to pre-monsoon rains, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has suggested adopting wide-ranging measures to deal with flood, an official report said here today.
Pul's response came when Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein yesterday apprised him of the breach in embankment of Nao-Dehing river in Namsai district that had caused inundation of more than 100 acres of agricultural land and relocation of several hundred families, an official report said here today.
Besides Mein, Water Resources Development Minister Kamlung Mossang, Tax & Excise Parliamentary Secretary Zingnu Namchoom, WRD Parliamentary Secretary Gum Tayeng and other high ranking officials from the department attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to adopt preventive measures targeted to long-term, medium-term and short-term actions, which could be adopted as policy decision, the report said.
The long-term actions may include preparations for flood protection investments, developing flood management plans and managing river schemes, which would depend on central funding.
For medium-term, Pul said the funding would be made through Centre-state combined resources and the actions would include building and maintaining flood-protection infrastructure, the report said.
As immediate measure, the chief minister said, the state government would equip the departments to respond promptly to deal with any occurrence of natural disasters.
Pul said emergency motor boats would be provided and Rs two crore has been earmarked for the WRD department.
Also to avoid inconsistency in allotment of works, Pul proposed that all flood related infrastructure works should go to WRD being the nodal department, the report said.
The Chief Minister also asked the department to map all rivers and rivulets in the capital city to check erosions and flooding.
He said he would be conducting an aerial survey of the flood prone areas in East Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Namsai and Changlang district soon.
