Actor Adil Hussain, who was born and raised in Assam, says the state’s recurring floods continue to leave him “terribly angry, frustrated and sad,” as the situation there has remained unchanged since his childhood.

“The authorities haven’t been able to manage the situation. Unauthorized townships have grown, marshlands have been filled with industries and trees are being cut. There’s no investigation into how to reduce the misery of people facing this situation every year,” he says.

As Assam battle floods again, the 62-year-old says he has been in constant touch with singer Papon for updates while trying to help his own family stranded in the deluge. “My sisters’ daughters, my nieces and their respective husbands are stuck with flooding in their house in upper Assam’s Sivasagar. The family is looking for a way to help them,” he says.

Calling for a comprehensive flood management plan, Hussain shares, “Indian scientists are sending satellites to the moon and so many countries, including The Netherlands, have reclaimed land from the sea. So I cannot understand how government after government cannot find engineers, landscape planners and city planners to solve this issue.”

The death toll from this year’s Assam floods has reached 68, with more than 5.24 lakh people still affected in five districts.