Agartala, Aug 30, 2024, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Agartala, Aug 30: Day after the state of Tripura has been officially declared a 'Natural Calamity Affected Area' by the Disaster Management Authority following severe floods and landslides, the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) vice president Amra Ram on Friday demanded to declare the flood as ‘National Disaster’.

A delegation of AIKS comprising of Amra Ram, finance secretary of the farmers’ body P Krishna Prasad and state delegates comprising of AIKS leader Pabitra Kar and others on Friday visited the flood affected areas at Sonamura, Belonia and other subdivisions in South Tripura district for onsite assessment.

Later, addressing a press conference here at Agartala, the AIKS vice president Amra Ram said, “The Manik Saha led government in Tripura was supposed to demand the Centre to declare the Tripura flood as national disaster as the flood took lives of 31 and was devastating to create havoc among all walks of life including the farmers, who incurred major loss.”

“We demand to declare the flood as a national disaster and we want the Manik Saha led government to press for it to the Centre, so that the PM Modi led government can release funds from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF),” he told reporters.

Amra Ram also demanded the government to initiate an immediate physical verification of the flood affected areas and carry out proper surveys. He said, “A central team had visited for onsite assessment, but we were reported that the government had not yet initiated physical verification.”

“As a large section of farmers were affected by the flood, we demand the government to ensure 200 mandays of work under MGNREGA,” he said further.

On the other hand, the AIKS finance secretary P Krishna Prasad addressed the press conference and urged the government to stand by the farmers of this state, who were largely affected by the flood and demanded adequate compensation to the flood affected farmers of Tripura.