Imphal, August 26: Kicking into gear a large scale restoration programme, the State Government is set to reconstruct and repair the Government office buildings in four hill districts which were raged to the ground and substantially damaged during the violent outbreak on July 8 this year at the height of the economic blockade.

Talking to The Sangai Express, an official source said that the Government is intent on completing the restoration work within this current fiscal, that is by March 31 next year.

The four Naga dominated hill districts of Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul erupted in violence on July 8 when IRB personnel shot and injured a civilian at Senapati on July 7 evening and assaulted others.

Government offices were the main target in the violence with a number of offices burnt and many substantially damaged.

Two IRB men held responsible for the shooting were subsequently suspended and sent to jail.

The State Government has already asked the State Public Works Department to start the repairing work of the damaged offices and the latter in turn has intimated to the respective Heads of Departments and offices to submit reports stating the degree of damages incurred during the outbreak of violence, said the source.

Acting on the intimation of the PWD a number of HoDs have submitted their report to the PWD, added a highly placed source in the PWD.

In Ukhrul district alone over 15 Government offices were damaged during the violent agitation.

The expenditure for reconstructing the damaged offices may be allocated from separate fund heads earmarked for construction purposes, informed the source further.

Priority would be given to the task of the reconstruction and repairing work, said the source adding that Revenue offices would be accorded the top most priority.

Construction work will start after engineers of the PWD posted in the four hill districts submit their report regarding the size of the offices and other information, said the source further.

While some employees of the burnt offices are being attached to the office building of other departments to carry out their official work, others have been accommodated at extension rooms of the same departments.

When contacted, DC of Senapati, Dr Prem Singh informed The Sangai Express that employees of the burnt Education office are attached to the Horticulture office while staff of the Veterinary and Fisheries Department are working at the extension rooms of the same offices.

The DC further said that he has already given a detailed report of the degree of damages inflicted on the offices of the Education Department, Fisheries and Veterinary at Senapati.

Chief Minister O Ibobi had yesterday informed the press that he along with his Cabinet colleagues will be visiting the four hill districts to assess the damaged buildings for their restoration.