Cachar Takes Charge: UNICEF-Backed Flood Preparedness Meet Held in Silchar

A district-level convening on Community Feedback Mechanism (CFM) and flood preparedness was organised by IAG Cachar on Tuesday (April 28) at Dimasa Cultural Bhawan in Silchar, in collaboration with State IAG and Roots to Branches Foundation, with support from UNICEF Assam.

The programme brought together officials from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Cachar, along with representatives of civil society organisations, to strengthen coordination, accountability, and preparedness ahead of the upcoming monsoon season.

Dr Sanjib Sikidar, Chairperson of IAG, in his keynote address stressed the need for timely planning and stronger coordination among stakeholders to minimise flood-related risks. He highlighted the importance of collaboration between government agencies and humanitarian organisations.

Shamim Ahmed Laskar, District Project Officer of DDMA, Cachar, reviewed last year’s flood response and discussed preparedness measures, challenges, and lessons learnt. He also spoke on the district administration’s ongoing efforts and the importance of inter-agency cooperation.

IAG Convener Debojit Gupta addressed the gathering, emphasising unified efforts among stakeholders and stronger grassroots-level response systems. He also conducted an orientation session on strengthening Community Feedback Mechanism systems, focusing on accountability and timely communication with affected communities.

Dr Rajib Gupta, a disaster risk reduction expert, shared technical insights on preparedness planning, stakeholder coordination, and lessons from previous flood responses. He later guided a group exercise where participants identified key challenges such as delayed relief distribution, damaged roads, poor connectivity in remote areas, shortage of rescue boats, and communication gaps.

Dr Ananya Gupta highlighted the importance of transparency and documentation in building an effective feedback system. She stressed the need for a common framework for Community Feedback Mechanisms across Assam.

A total of 27 NGOs from across Cachar district participated in the convening, sharing field-level experiences and suggesting measures to improve preparedness and response systems.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the way forward, including coordination mechanisms and next steps before the flood season, followed by a vote of thanks.