GUWAHATI: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday August 6 questioned why timely flood warnings did not reach people on the ground despite the Centre confirming that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) provides near-real-time flood monitoring data for the Brahmaputra basin.
ALSO READ: Centre Approves ₹8,970 Crore Four-Lane Highway Between Guwahati and Tezpur
Taking to social media platform X, Gogoi shared details of a question he had raised in Parliament regarding ISRO's role in flood mapping and disaster response in Assam.
In his parliamentary question, Gogoi sought to know:
> The frequency and resolution of ISRO satellite flood mapping data provided to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) during the 2025 and 2026 monsoon seasons.
> The average time lag between satellite data capture and its delivery to ASDMA.
> Whether real-time or near-real-time satellite flood monitoring is currently available for the Brahmaputra basin.
> The steps being taken by the Centre to improve the timeliness and district-level granularity of ISRO's flood data for Assam.
Responding on behalf of the government, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that ISRO provides near-real-time flood monitoring for the Brahmaputra basin and that the satellite-derived flood information reaches the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) within five to six hours.
Referring to the reply, Gogoi said the Centre's response raises questions about the effectiveness of the state's flood warning mechanism.
"The Government has confirmed, in response to my question, that ISRO provides near-real-time flood monitoring for the Brahmaputra basin, with flood data reaching ASDMA within 5–6 hours," Gogoi wrote on X.
The Congress leader further referred to the flash floods that struck Sivasagar on July 19, claiming that local authorities had little time to respond.
"The District Commissioner of Sivasagar has stated that the district had barely three hours to respond to the flash floods of 19 July, with no prior warning issued," Gogoi wrote.
Questioning the apparent gap between the availability of satellite data and disaster preparedness on the ground, Gogoi said the government must explain why advance monitoring did not translate into timely public alerts.
"The Government must explain why available flood monitoring data did not result in timely alerts and preparedness on the ground," he added.
The remarks come amid continued discussions over Assam's flood preparedness and the effectiveness of early warning systems following multiple flood and flash flood incidents across the state during this year's monsoon.