DIRECT CASH SUPPORT BRINGS ‘PURCHASING FREEDOM’ TO FLOOD VICTIMS

Caritas India have been able to start much needed relief to 159 flood affected families of Assam. Each family have received a cash support of Rs.800 to meet their basic needs. In the coming days, this support will be extended to a total of 1000 families. All cash support are consciously handed over to women in order to ensure optimum utilization of the cash for the family.

Caritas India team is stationed in Bongaigaon and carrying extensive flood operations in 18 villages under Kokrajhar and Chirang districts.

Over 1, 668, 865 lakh people got affected across 21 districts in Assam due to devastating floods. The death toll has touched 34 across the state.

Morigaon, Dubri and Lakhimpur being the worst affected districts.

Over 36,000 people across 14 districts are taking shelter in 142 relief camps and distribution centres. Caritas India staff are monitoring the situation in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Majuli, Morigaon, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Chirang.

The living condition of the relief camps and shelter homes in morigaon is getting worst. Though Government has provided food to the inmates but requirement like cash in hand, hygiene kits, shelter, and solar lamps are some of the urgent needs.

Hailat Daimari, a flood victim from Chtoto Nilibari (Chirang dist. Assam) said, “overnight flood had doomed my 5 bighas of land with standing crops which was the only source of sustenance and livelihood for my family. The agricultural land has converted into a graveyard for the crops as it got filled up with nothing but sand brought about by the floods. My life today has been reduced to that of a pauper and the same is the case with another 113 Households in the village”.

He says “I have lost everything that I earned over the years and I wish I had someone to blame for all this”.

Nearly 45,000 hectares of crop area are still under flood water across the state, besides washing away number of roads, embankments, bridges and other infrastructure. People of Assam have suffered huge losses due to this flood.

Apart from providing psychosocial support to the affected families, three volunteers were trained on Psycho social care support to help the community in coping up with the situation.