Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday asked state officials to speed up relief and restoration works on war footing in view of the grim flood situation in the state, official sources said.
Deb, who visited the worst-affected Kailashahar and Kumarghat sub-divisions of Unakoti district on Saturday reviewed the relief and restoration works of flood-affected areas at a high-level meeting convened on Saturday.
The meeting, attended by senior officials including Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan, was held in the Civil Secretariat.
In the meeting, it was informed that an amount of Rs 20 crore in two phases would be spent to undertake relief and restoration works for the marooned people in the two districts, said Deputy Secretary of Revenue Department, Sankar Chakraborty.
He said Deb underlined the need to strengthen district level flood management committees to ensure effective control of natural or man-made disaster.
Besides, authorities of PWD and Health departments were asked to take all possible measures to control the situation as early as possible.
To a query on why water level in river Manu is still at danger level even after the rain has stopped, Chakraborty said it was due to water stagnation from a break in a major embankment.
Hopefully, water level will recede within the next 24 hours if rain doesn't occur. We are closely monitoring the situation in Kailashahar to avoid any unforeseen development, he said.
Expressing concern over the devastating flood, especially in Unokati district, the CPI(M) state secretariat sought Centres help to tide over the situation.
The state government alone will not be able to normalise the situation aftermath of the major devastation caused by flood. The Central government must lend a helping hand to the state government. We urge our party leaders and workers to help the state government in the hours of crisis, it said in a press release.
Altogether, 46,000 people, mostly in Unakoti district, have been housed in 211 relief camps.