Assam recommends CBI probe into July floods in Sivasagar and Charaideo
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state will formally request the investigation within 10 days to find the root causes.
The Assam government has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the July floods that caused 106 deaths, according to The Assam Tribune. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Tuesday that the state will submit a formal request to the agency within the next 10 days.
The floods, which began around July 19, killed 106 people, including 17 children, and left 10 people missing. Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat were among the hardest-hit districts, with Sivasagar recording the most fatalities. Sarma noted that water levels in these areas reached heights not seen in over 50 years.
This decision marks a reversal for Sarma, who had previously rejected demands for a CBI inquiry in August. The recommendation follows debates regarding whether the devastation was caused by heavy rainfall or other factors, such as environmental violations and administrative failures.
The Congress party has alleged that unchecked illegal mining and administrative inaction contributed to the damage in Upper Assam. Meanwhile, the Centre previously attributed the disaster to incessant rainfall in Assam and neighbouring states.
In addition to the flood probe, the cabinet approved several other measures. These include the creation of a Ropeway Development Authority and the establishment of a defence manufacturing park on 6,000 bighas of land near Nellie in Morigaon district.