Guwahati: An appeal was made on Saturday to refugees housed in relief camps in schools following recent clashes between Bodos and immigrant minorities in Assam that claimed 56 lives, to return home so that the institutions could reopen.
"I appeal to members of both communities to decongest the camps by August 15 as suggested by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, so that educational institutions can reopen," Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here.
"We are not saying that all camps be completely evacuated, but should be decongested so that classes can resume," he said.
Summer vacations in schools which were to reopen on August one, were extended till August 15, but a further extension would severely hit students in the affected districts, he said.
"I appeal to people whose houses have not been extensively damaged and can be repaired soon with the funds provided by the government to return home," he said.
"I appeal to people of both communities to sit down and talk so that there is no further problem or misunderstanding between them," the minister added.
More than three lakh people were still housed in 350 camps in the districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon and Dhubri, set up following the clashes.
PTI
