Union Minister JP Nadda assures Centre's support during visit to flood-hit Arunachal Pradesh

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda on Thursday visited floodhit areas in Arunachal Pradeshs Keyi Panyor district and assured the Centres full support for relief rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts following the recent flash floods and landslidesNadda visits worsthit areasNadda toured Possa village and the adjoining NEEPCO colony where he said the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands firmly with the people of the state during the crisis officials said told news agency PTIHe said the Centre is closely monitoring the flood situation across the Northeast and is working in coordination with the state government to ensure the timely delivery of relief materials medical assistance and financial support to all affected familiesThe Union Minister also said reconstruction of damaged infrastructure and rehabilitation of affected people would be taken up on priority after a detailed assessment of the lossesNadda was accompanied by state Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raja Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung district officials of Keyi Panyor and panchayat representatives during the visitRelief operations reviewedThe delegation inspected floodravaged residential areas damaged public infrastructure and civic utilities before interacting with affected families and local officials to assess their immediate needs including healthcare and emergency assistanceNadda also reviewed the ongoing relief operations the functioning of relief camps and the states plans for restoring essential infrastructure and rebuilding damaged houses and public assetsExtent of flood damage highlightedDuring the visit Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung briefed Nadda on the July 24 cloudburst and flash floods which caused extensive damage to public infrastructure private property and livelihoods in Keyi Panyor districtHe thanked the Union Minister for visiting the affected areas and said his firsthand assessment would help expedite relief rehabilitation and reconstruction effortsDeputy Commissioner Ankita Mishra gave a detailed presentation on the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken by the administration and highlighted the extensive damage to roads and bridges along National Highway13 the states key arterial road connecting six districtsShe stressed the need for its early restoration to ensure uninterrupted connectivity and essential servicesNEEPCO Yazali Head of Project Munin Choudhary also briefed the minister on the extensive damage caused to the corporations residential colony and project infrastructure by the flash floods besides outlining the challenges involved in restoring operationsFloods washed away residential quartersThe visit comes after widespread destruction caused by heavy monsoon rain and localised cloudbursts over the Possa River in Keyi Panyor district which triggered flash floods and landslidesThe disaster severely affected the Possa area where floodwaters breached a retaining wall and swept away around 15 to 18 residential quarters in the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation NEEPCO colony near YazaliHighlevel review meeting held in ItanagarLater in the day Nadda chaired a highlevel review meeting in Itanagar with Chief Minister Pema Khandu Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein state ministers MLAs and senior administrative officers to assess the situation following his visit to areas affected by the recent flash floods and cloudburstsDuring the meeting the minister reviewed the ongoing relief rehabilitation and healthcare measures being undertaken in the affected districtsHe directed the departments concerned to further intensify relief operations strengthen rehabilitation efforts and ensure timely medical assistance to meet the needs of people impacted by the disasterNadda reaffirmed the Central governments commitment to supporting the state during the recovery processHe said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi the Centre in close coordination with the state government would continue to provide swift relief financial assistance and all necessary support to the affected people until normalcy is restoredOver 155 lakh people affectedThe ongoing floods and landslides have so far claimed eight lives in Arunachal Pradesh affecting an estimated 155858 people across 28 districts according to the state disaster management departmentThe departments report said 235 roads 40 bridges 75 culverts 373 water supply systems 161 power lines 823 electric poles 66 irrigation projects 122 government buildings 41 schools 12 hydropower projects 26 retaining walls and 16 flood protection walls among other public assets have been damaged by the disasterThe agriculture and horticulture sectors have also suffered significant losses with crops spread across 1528626 hectares affected including 780716 hectares under horticulture and 74791 hectares under agriculture the report addedWith PTI inputs