Assam: Hygiene concern at camps as waters rise

GUWAHATI: With floods arriving earlier than usual in Assam, the disaster management agencies' plan to prepare relief camps with proper hygienic conditions appears to have been washed away.
In view of the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) had finalised a standard operating procedure (SOP), asking district authorities to set up makeshift arrangements in hygienic conditions, instead of keeping flood-affected people in conventional relief camps in schools and deserted government buildings.However, the directives in the SOP are being openly flouted.
An official at the ASDMA control room told TOI on Wednesday that 46 relief camps set up in Goalpara, three in Tinsukia, and two in Nalbari. But, most of these camps have been set up either in schools or deserted government buildings, flouting the SOPs.
Sources in the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in Goalpara said 60-70% of relief camps in the district have been set up in schools. "As the government directive through the SOPs came in mid-May, there was no time to go for makeshift arrangements. Even before the monsoon hit the northeast, the floodwaters inundated large parts of Goalpara. Under such circumstances, we can only appeal to relief camp inmates to maintain proper social distancing. Choosing schools as relief camps was the first option, as there was no resilient buildings in many villages. Now, lots depend on the inmates, if they want to thwart the spread of the virus," the official said.
DDMA officials said because of lack of an early planning, the relief camps could not be set up according to the SOPs.