Assam CM Sarma waives post-mortems for flood victims, orders speedy ex-gratia payments
Guwahati, July 28
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday announced that post-mortem examinations for flood victims would be waived off, saying the government's response to the ongoing crisis must be driven by compassion rather than bureaucracy, as the state continues to grapple with floods.
"During a crisis, our response must be guided by compassion, not bureaucracy. I have directed that post-mortems be waived off for flood victims to spare families further anguish. Ex-gratia assistance will be released at the earliest, with no avoidable procedural delays," the CM said on X.
The announcement comes as Assam continues to battle a severe flood crisis that has swept through Upper Assam.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 4.45 lakh people across six districts remain affected by floods.
As many as 631 villages are inundated, while 184 relief camps and distribution centres are sheltering nearly 28,700 people.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday urged the Centre to announce a special relief package for Assam, which was hit by devastating floods.
Opening the discussion for the Opposition in Lok Sabha on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, Gogoi drew the House's attention to the flood situation in Assam and appealed for additional central assistance.
"Before initiating the discussion on this bill, I would like to draw your attention to the floods in Assam and the loss of 70 lives there; with a heavy and deeply pained heart, I urge the Central Government to provide a special package for the people of Assam," Gogoi said.
His appeal came as relief and rescue operations continued across the flood-hit state. Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for personally monitoring the flood situation and said the state government was working on a "war footing" to provide relief to affected people.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Waiving post-mortems is a compassionate decision indeed. But the real test is whether ex-gratia reaches families without corruption. In Assam, many flood victims never see that money - it gets stuck in babudom. Hope CM's orders are implemented on ground, not just on Twitter/X.
Sarma ji is doing good work, but Gaurav Gogoi's demand for special package is also valid. Centre must step up - Assam contributes so much to India's tea, oil, and biodiversity. Yet every year lakhs suffer. Need both state and centre to work together, not politics over floods.
As someone who visited Assam last year, I'm heartbroken to see this. 😥 The Brahmaputra is both a lifeline and a curse. Waiving post-mortems is a humane touch, but 70 lives lost? That's 70 families destroyed. Climate change is making floods worse. India needs a national flood management plan, not just annual relief.
Kudos to CM for cutting red tape! 👏 My cousin in Dhemaji lost everything. He said relief camps are there but supplies are inadequate. Waiving post-mortem is good, but what about providing dry ration, drinking water, and medical aid to 4.5 lakh people? Speed up the real relief, sir!
Compassionate governance is rare - appreciate this move. But reading about 631 villages inundated and 70 dead... it's a national tragedy. PM monitoring is good, but Assam needs a Marshall Plan for floods. Dredging Brahmaputra, building embankments, early warning systems.
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