Farmers' group KMSS alleges 'man-made' floods in Upper Assam, blames coal-stone mafia nexus
Peasants' group Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Monday alleged that the devastating floods in Upper Assam districts were "man-made" as they result from a nexus between coal-stone mafias and influential political leaders, and demanded a CBI inquiry into the disaster.
Addressing a press conference here, KMSS general secretary Bidyut Saikia said the latest wave of floods cannot be dismissed as just cloudbursts or rainwater from neighbouring states.
The toll in the deluge this year rose to 85 as three more deaths were reported on Sunday, even as the number of affected people dipped to 1.35 lakh.
Illegal open-cast mining in the bordering hilly regions of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh has created massive pits and artificial reservoirs, he added.
"During heavy rains, water accumulates in these pits and bursts downstream, triggering flash floods in Assam. There is a clear link between the coal syndicate and the floods. Around 40-60 illegal coal-laden trucks enter Assam daily from Nagaland with Rs 1.5-Rs 2 lakh extorted illegally per truck," Saikia alleged, citing a Crime Branch chargesheet that reportedly flagged a Rs 3,000 crore coal syndicate in operation.
The organisation claimed that these coal and stone mafias have "direct links" with politicians of both Assam and Nagaland, and demanded a CBI investigation into it, he added.
"Illegal mining must stop to protect the region and the state from such man-made floods. The CM must take action immediately, otherwise such devastation will repeat in the near future," Saikia said.
The KMSS also took strong exception to the financial assistance provided for flood relief by the Union government.
"While Assam was allocated only Rs 379 crore from the SDRF, states like Odisha, Gujarat and Maharashtra received Rs 500 crore each despite having comparatively less flood impact," Saikia claimed.
He demanded the government pay Rs 8,000 per bigha as compensation for crop loss and a complete waiver of farm loans.
"The government must provide 300 units of free electricity per month for flood-affected families for the next one year and immediately stop smart meter installations," the KMSS leader said.
He said that the organisation will launch a state-wide movement if the government fails to address farm loan waiver, flood relief and illegal mining immediately to protect the people from the devastation.
The Assam government on Monday released the first tranche of around Rs 160 crore interim relief to over 75,000 households that were the worst affected in this year's floods.
