Upper Assam deluge was ‘man-made catastrophe’, alleges Debabrata Saikia

Guwahati, Nov 5: Former Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, on Wednesday alleged that the devastating floods that hit Upper Assam in July this year were not an ordinary natural calamity but a “man-made catastrophe” caused by gross government negligence, official apathy and rampant illegal riverbed mining.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, the senior Congress leader said he had earlier filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Gauhati High Court seeking justice and comprehensive rehabilitation for flood-affected people, besides an investigation into alleged systemic corruption.

He said the High Court had directed the state authorities to submit an affidavit by November 3. However, the government failed to furnish crucial records concerning emergency relief measures and sought additional time. Following this, the court scheduled the next hearing for December 14, Saikia added.

Saikia stressed that all illegal and unscientific mining activities along the Dikhow river and its tributaries must be permanently stopped. He also called for the immediate deployment of a specialised Task Force Battalion, as directed by earlier High Court orders.

According to Saikia, the unregulated extraction of natural boulders and sand has triggered what is known as the geomorphic “Hungry Water Effect”, leading to severe riverbed scouring and extensive damage to embankments.

Questioning the government's explanation for the floods, Saikia said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued no forecast for cloudbursts. He alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had initially promoted an unsubstantiated cloudburst narrative to shield favoured associates.

Invoking the Supreme Court's principles of the “Public Trust Doctrine” and “Absolute Liability”, Saikia maintained that the state government could not evade responsibility by attributing the disaster to an “Act of God”.

He demanded the constitution of an inquiry committee headed by a retired High Court judge and comprising experts from IIT Guwahati and relevant government departments to establish the root causes of the deluge.

Saikia also questioned the Chief Minister's announcement of a CBI investigation, arguing that a probe into alleged hydrological and environmental failures required rigorous judicial oversight rather than an investigation primarily suited to cases involving homicide or financial fraud.

Demanding comprehensive compensation, the Congress leader called for financial assistance of at least Rs 10 lakh for every affected family, citing the disaster relief model followed in Himachal Pradesh.

Alleging widespread irregularities and favouritism in the distribution of flood relief, Saikia claimed that the administration had withheld the public disclosure of the beneficiary list because payments had allegedly been credited to multiple bank accounts belonging to families of ruling BJP leaders in areas that were not affected by the floods.

He further alleged that a significant number of genuine flood victims were yet to receive the promised interim assistance of Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000.

Highlighting the financial distress faced by farmers and small traders, Saikia said a temporary six-month moratorium on loan repayments offered little relief as interest continued to accumulate. He called for regulatory intervention through RBI guidelines and the Banking Ombudsman to ensure comprehensive debt restructuring for affected borrowers.

Saikia also raised concerns over the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh, describing it as an existential “water bomb” threatening Assam.