In order to give respite to the people of the worst flood-affected villages in Assam’s Lakhimpur and Majuli districts, several NGOs have distributed boats to a number of villages in the two districts.
Besides the government departments and agencies, several well-known Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have been actively working in some of worst flood-affected villages in the districts of Lakhimpur and Majuli so that the flood victims can get adapt to floods.
People’s Action for Development (PAD) on Sunday distributed five medium-size country boats to five villages, affected by the floods of Subansiri, Ranganadi and some other rivers under its project entitled “Strengthening Resilience: Sustainable Adaptation to Climate Change in Flood-Affected Areas of Assam through Multi-Sectoral Prevention and Adapatation Mechanisms and Advocacy”.
This project of the PAD is supported by a Germany-based organisation, Terre des Hommes (TDH).
Wilfred Topno, the director of PAD said, “This is the first year of the project and from the very beginning, we are trying to support 10 selected villages under Bihpuria Revenue Circle of Lakhimpur district by providing multiple supports.”
“The supports are in the form of distribution of water resilient rice seed varieties among farmers, erecting high rise clay platforms in villages for taking shelter for flood victims and livestock during flood inundation, planting saplings, formation of Village Disaster Management Committees (VDMCs) and task forces, etc.”
“Today, we are happy to say that this evening, we handed over boats to five villages, one boat to each village,” Topno added.
He also said boats are very important for the people who live in flood-affected areas.
He said all the individuals in such areas need boats and they can do collective works using boats during floods.
Philipson Sona, the deputy director of PAD said, “Today, all the 5 boats were transported from Salmara in Majuli where these boats were made and handed over to the VDMCs of five villages this evening. The communities have expressed their happiness and we are thankful to their cooperation.”
Villages including Aunibari, Bholukaguri, Gondhosariati, Purani Bahgarha and Dhunaguri are the beneficiaries.
The staff members of People’s Action for Development (PAD) Philipson Sona, John Tirkey, Manuel Aind, Uttam Nag, Arun Kongari, Joinas Urang, Shem Singh, Bipin Doley, Raj Kumar Chandi and Anima Pegu were present during the boat distribution.
Last week, the Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS) distributed 30 boats in 15 flood-affected villages (two in each village) under the Lakhimpur Revenue Circle and Kadam Revenue Circle of Lakhimpur district.
The project manager of IGSSS, Dharani Payeng told that with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) support from the HDFC Bank, they have carried out several activities including distribution of country boats among the flood-affected villages.
Payeng said they have built several high rise platforms separately for villagers and livestock in the villages.
Toilets on stilts, built by IGSSS in the villages have been termed as one of the most important works from the sanitation perspective.
The North East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a Jorhat-based NGO, has distributed 5 boats to 5 villages under Kamalabari Revenue Circle in Majuli district.
The project coordinator of NEADS, Hemanta Phukan, informed that they distributed the country boats to Upper Sonowal, Hukunamukh, Chumoimari, Dakhinpat Das Gaon and Upper Sumoimari villages.
He informed that under this TDH-supported project they have also distributed first aid kits and search & rescue materials to the VDMCs of 10 villages affected by the flood waters of river Brahmaputra.
The beneficiary villages are Alimur Bamun Gaon, Botiamari, Nam Sonowal, Upper Sonowal, Kaniajan, Dakhinpat Kumar Gaon, Hukunamukh, Chumoimari, Dakhinpat Das Gaon and Upper Sumoimari.