Congress calls for Assam floods to be declared a "national crisis."

A delegation from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), led by Relief Rehabilitation Department Chairman Pranjit Das, met Governor Lakshman Acharya on Wednesday and called for Assam’s persistent flood and river erosion crisis to be officially recognised as a “national problem.” The delegation submitted a detailed memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Union Jal Shakti Minister and the Union Finance Minister through the Governor, seeking urgent intervention from the Centre.

The memorandum said Assam has endured devastating floods and riverbank erosion for decades, resulting in widespread damage to homes, farmland and livelihoods. Around 40% of Assam’s land, covering nearly 31.05 lakh hectares, is considered flood-prone, considerably above the national average of 10.2%. According to the Congress delegation, factors including heavy silt accumulation in the Brahmaputra and Barak river systems, intense monsoon rainfall, shallow river channels, breaches in embankments and climate change have made the situation increasingly severe.

The recurring disasters have affected millions of people, particularly farmers, daily-wage workers and tea garden employees, while forcing many families to leave their homes permanently. The APCC argued that the scale and frequency of the crisis cannot be addressed by the state government alone. It therefore urged the Central Government to classify Assam’s flood and erosion problem as a national issue and develop a long-term, scientific strategy to tackle it.

Among its key demands, the memorandum called for a high-level task force involving central and state officials, scientists, technical specialists and representatives of affected communities. It also sought substantial central funding for a comprehensive master plan covering river management, stronger embankments, scientific dredging, real-time flood forecasting, early-warning mechanisms and rehabilitation of displaced families.

The delegation further stressed the importance of coordination between various Union ministries for the integrated management of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The Congress leaders said short-term relief measures would not be enough to address Assam’s decades-old crisis and urged the Centre to take immediate steps toward a permanent solution that can provide greater safety and stability for the state’s flood-affected population.

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