Flood in Assam due to Nagaland mining, will take up with Centre: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) said he would discuss with the Centre the issue of mining in Nagaland as one of the causes of the devastating flood that has killed 87 people so far.

A majority of the people died in three districts adjoining Nagaland — Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat. These districts hardly have a history of a major flood.

Touring the flood-hit districts, Mr. Sarma said the State government will begin assessing the damage to the houses from August 9 to fast-track relief and rehabilitation of the affected families.

He also addressed concerns about mining activities in Nagaland having contributed to the unprecedented flooding in the three districts, specifically Charaideo and Sivasagar. “I cannot stop mining in Nagaland. I will raise the issue with the Centre. We need a scientific study to determine the actual cause of the problem,” he said, insisting there was no illegal mining in Assam.

Many in the affected districts, including Sibsagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, have blamed illegal sand, stone, and coal mining along the foothills of Nagaland for the flood in Assam. They said such activities, along with rampant felling of trees, removed natural resistance to the floodwaters that rushed down the hills of Nagaland after bouts of extremely heavy rain.

Nagaland-based organisations, however, trashed “theories” that activities there were responsible for Assam’s flood.

Mr. Sarma said the government would drain out the floodwaters as quickly as possible, apart from rebuilding the houses under the government’s rehabilitation programme.

He said the highways obstructed the natural flow of floodwater in certain areas. “I will ask the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited to construct additional cross-drainage structures,” he said.

He further said embankments would be constructed in vulnerable areas to prevent flood damage in future.

Higher compensation

Mr. Sarma concurred with Mr. Gogoi’s suggestion that the compensation to flood victims should be increased.

Donations have been pouring in from individuals, organisations, political parties, and social media influencers.

Many have touched hearts with ‘shram daan’ or voluntary labour. They include a group of Sikhs who have been cleaning up flooded namghars (prayer halls), temples, and other places of worship besides serving meals.

A group of daily wagers from western Assam, mostly Bengali Muslims and Koch-Rajbongshis, has been clearing silt from farmlands and house compounds, or removing livestock carcasses.

Members of a barbers’ association have been providing free haircuts to the flood-affected people. At the same time, car mechanics from other parts of Assam have pitched in to repair vehicles free of charge. “Visuals of hundreds of upturned, half-buried two-, three-, and four-wheelers made us reach out to the people. We do not have cash to spare, but decided we can make a difference by trying to restore these vehicles without any labour charge,” a mechanic from Nagaon said.