The flood situation in Assam further deteriorated as over 22 districts have been affected, especially in the lower and middle regions of the state. In the newly-formed Bajali district of lower Assam, where the severity of flood has been intense, charging mobile handsets has been a major concern for the affected people.
With no electric supply for last couple of days as flood water submerged electric poles and entered power stations, people stuck in villages are facing a harrowing using their mobile phones.
A local youth in a remote marooned hamlet of Bajali has risen above the situation by helping villagers charge their mobile phones for Rs 20. Villagers are now thronging to this particular house to get their mobile handset charged.
In a video that has gone viral, the youth has used a portable generator set to charge mobile handsets. The generator is to charge more than 50 mobiles phones plugged into extendable charge points at a given point of time.
People are given a numbered token after they leave their hand sets for charging. The owner charges Rs 20 for completely charging the handset. In short, life moves ahead in deluged Assam.
Similarly, in the flooded Rukminigaon residential area of Guwahati, Raju has finally set his floating kiosk. Life in the city flood, the worst after eight years has been harsh for Raju, who runs a small shop in the area, as he has not been able to venture out of his house the past four days.
While the NDRF has been rescuing people in the marooned locality, accessing essentials has been a major concern. True to the famous saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” Raju improvised and built a plantain raft on which he has set his temporary kiosk with water bottles and other basic goods. He moves from house to house to sell his items and also carries items on demand.
“Since yesterday I am selling some essential products; I am the only earner of my family, so I have no other option then to selling products in this way. Moreover, I think my effort will help those, who can’t move out from their houses,” says Raju.
Meanwhile, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma directed ministers to be in field and monitor the situation. “I shall be visiting couple of affected districts tomorrow and day after tomorrow,” he said.
“So if we can somehow manage these two days, then I think our concerns shall lessen. If all cooperate then we can relocate all those who are living in precarious places at Guwahati. We all know that people have constructed house in the edge of the hills of the capital city. People have to be more aware and educated. Flood in Dima Hasao and Kamrup has been unprecedented,” CM Sarma said.
The Regional Meteorological centre Borjhar has issued warning for thunderstorm with lightning and extremely heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Baksa, Barpeta and Bongaigaon; and extremely heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over West Karbi-Anglong and Dima-Hasao.
Alert for thunderstorm with lightning and very Heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Kokrajhar, Chirang, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang, Udalguri, Morigaon, Nagaon & Karbi-Anglong; and thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Kamrup(M).
Very heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Cachar & Karimganj, and Heavy Rainfall very likely at isolated places over Sonitpur.
The Gajraj Corps of Indian Army has launched flood relief operations in coordination with the civil administration from June 16.
Following heavy rainfall in various parts of Assam, nine composite teams of Gajraj Corps were swiftly launched during day and night in coordination with local administration to carry out rescue and relief operations in the flood affected districts of Baksa, Nalbari, Bajali, Darrang, Tamulpur, Hojai and Kamrup.
As the recent flood and landslide due to continuous rainfall has disrupted connectivity with Barak Valley completely. In order to facilitate the stranded people, special flight is being organised once again between Guwahati and Silchar in Barak Valley from June 18 at a fixed fare of Rs 4,000. Flights are being arranged by Assam Tourism Development Corporation in association with Fly Big.
Ambubachi Mela to be a low-key festival this year
CM Sarma has stated that the annual Ambubachi Festival at the Kamakhya temple shall be a low key affair restricted to the rituals as observed during the pandemic years. He asked devotees to refrain from visiting the holy shrine during the festival which commences from June 22 and goes on till June 26 as there has been several land and rock slips in the Neelachal Hills induced by the relentless rainfall.
The newly-prepared approach road to the temple has been closed owing to repeated landslides. More than 10 lakh visitors visit Kamakhya during the Ambubachi.
Ambubachi Mela is one of the biggest congregations of eastern India. It is the most important festival of the Kamakhya temple and is celebrated in the month of June every year.
It is more of a ritual of austerities, a festival celebrated with Shakti rites. The belief is that Kamakhya embodies the mother cult, the Shakti. During the period of Ambubachi from the seventh to the tenth day of the Hindu month of “Asadha”, the doors of the shrine are closed to all as it is believed that Goddess Kamakhya goes through the annual cycle of menstruation.
On the twelfth day, the doors are opened ceremonially and a big fair held at the temple premises on that day.
“Ambubachi” means spoken with water and it also implies that the rains expected during this month make the earth fertile and ready for procreation. Daily worship is suspended during this period. All agricultural work like digging, ploughing, sowing, and transplanting of crops are forbidden.
Widows, Brahmacharis and Brahmins avoid cooked food during these days. On the fourth day, Ambubachi being over, household items, utensils and clothes are washed, cleaned and purified by sprinkling sacred waters, worship of Goddess Kamakhya begins after cleansing and other rituals are performed. Entry to the Shrine is considered to be auspicious after this.
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