NRC final draft not on June 30, floods hamper work

GUWAHATI: The final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) cannot be published on June 30 because the recent floods hampered work on several days, coordinator Prateek Hajela said on Thursday.
“It is not possible to publish the remaining draft of NRC on June 30 for the recent wave of floods has severely affected the NRC work. Work has been affected in Barak valley, West Karbianglong and Hojai. We suffered loss of around eight to ten working days. It is not possible to make up for these loses before June 30,” hajela told reporters.

The NRC process is monitored by Supreme Court which also set the timeline of June 30. The fresh date for the publication NRC is likely to be announced on July 2 when Supreme Court hears the case.

The part draft of the NRC, a list of the state's citizens, was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 where names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated.

The massive exercise aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state that borders Bangladesh is being carried out in Assam following a decision in 2005 after a series of meetings between the central and state governments and the influential All Assam Students' Union (AASU)

A senior official said, “Several NRC seva Kendras were under water in three districts of Barak valley. The first wave of flood engulfed seven districts and killed over 25 people.”

According to a government statement, the flood situation in Assam, especially the Barak valley region has cast a shadow on the completion of the NRC work and publication of the final draft on June 30.

The three districts of Barak valley region - Hailakandi, Karimganj and Cachar - remained the worst affected with around 8.50 lakh people hit.

In the three districts hit by floods, work at around 90 NRC Seva Kendras (NSKs) has been hit. Apart from the Barak Valley, floods have also affected NRC work in Hojai and Karbi Anglong districts.

“Almost all NRC work at this point is NSK-centric, particularly data entry operations. If NSKs get affected, then it hampers our progress too,” said an official in Hailakandi.

In worst-hit Hailakandi district over three lakh were affected, with more than 80,000 housed in 145 relief camps. 8,478 marooned people had to be evacuated by SDRF and NDRF personnel.

“All the NRC related documents at the affected NSKs were shifted to safer places,” said an official.

Floods have led to loss of five working days in the district. Such was the intensity of the deluge this time around –20 breaches in embankments occurred as the major Dhaleswari river meandering through the district attained an all-time high water level of 36.52 metres eclipsing the previous record of 36.3 metres recorded in 1989 - that the administration had no other option but to engage staff involved in NRC work to reinforce its relief operation on a massive scale.

Following marked improvement in the flood situation in Hailakandi district in the past five days except in Algapur revenue circle where 16 villages are still reeling under flood waters, the NRC work has begun in right earnest.

“Around 85-90 per cent NRC work has been completed and the rest will be done if the weather permits,” said a government official overseeing the NRC updation exercise in Katlicherra revenue circle.