Itanagar: Rajya Sabha MP Tai Tagak on Tuesday urged the Centre to extend a special relief and rehabilitation package for Arunachal Pradesh, saying the scale of devastation caused by recent flash floods and landslides was beyond the state’s capacity to handle on its own.Addressing a news conference at the BJP state office here, Tagak said around 15 districts have been severely affected by the disasters, impacting over one lakh people and causing extensive damage to roads, bridges, drinking water supply systems, power infrastructure and residential houses.He said he has been visiting flood-affected areas since July 4 to assess the situation first hand, including Keyi Panyor, the Siang belt, Kurung Kumey and Tirap districts, where major incidents have been reported over the past three weeks.According to official reports, five people died in Keyi Panyor district and two in Tirap district, while more than seven others remain missing, he said, expressing condolences to the bereaved families and hoping for the safe recovery of those still untraced.Tagak said several areas continue to remain cut off due to damaged road connectivity, leaving affected communities facing shortages of food, drinking water and other essential supplies.Appreciating the efforts of district administrations, SDRF personnel, volunteers and local residents engaged in rescue and relief operations, he said officials have been working round the clock under difficult conditions while communities have displayed remarkable solidarity in assisting one another.The MP stressed that restoring road connectivity to remote areas should be the immediate priority, along with repairing damaged bridges, reviving drinking water supply systems and restoring other critical infrastructure. He added that several strategic roads, bridges and culverts in border areas also suffered extensive damage, affecting infrastructure of national importance.Calling for a comprehensive Central assistance package, Tagak said financial support was required not only for immediate relief but also for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction of affected areas.He said the issue would be raised during the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 20.Describing the floods as one of the worst natural disasters to hit the state in recent years, Tagak said the extent of destruction in some areas was unprecedented and comparable to the devastation caused by the 1950 earthquake.Responding to questions, he said the disaster was primarily triggered by natural factors such as cloudbursts in mountainous regions and heavy landslides, and not by illegal earth cutting or road construction. He also maintained that hydropower dams had helped regulate water flow in certain downstream areas during the floods.–
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