Twelve persons, including members of a medical team and crew members on board a boat clinic have remained stranded amid the surging waters of Dibang River, one of the main channels of mighty Brahmaputra River in easternmost Assam's flood-affected Tinsukia district, after the bottom of their motor-boat (S B Swaminathan) hit the river bosom that bulged due to heavy flood-time siltation.
The boat clinic had gone to provide medical aid to villagers of an isle called Amarpur in Tinsukia district. The boat hospital belongs to the Centre for North East Studies and Police Research that operates 15 such boat clinics in thirteen of the districts in Assam with aid from National Rural Health Mission.
A C-NES official informed that there are 12 persons on boar the boat clinic included two doctors, nurses and boat crew and a villager. It has remained immobilised since June 21 last, according to delayed report received in Guwahati.
The C-NES has requested the district administration for help to rescue those on board the stranded boat clinic as stock of food and drinking water on the boat is fast running out.
A senior official in Tinsukia district informed that National Disaster Response Force personnel were attempting to reach those on board the boat clinic stranded in the river near Amarpur Island. The people on board are safe.
C-NES boat clinics provide medical treatment to lakhs of poor inhabitants in numerous river isles (called 'char' or 'chapori' in local parlance) located in mighty Brahmaputra River. These river isles are cut off from the mainland and have no medical or other facilities.
Boats are the only mode of communication for the dwellers who survive on agriculture activities.
© 2025