Earthquake aftermath : ATCA deplores slow response of State Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 08 2016 :
The All Tribal Chiefs' Association (ATCA) has said that the losses and damages caused to lives and properties in the Jan 4 earthquake in the hill districts of the State are worth about Rs 525 crore.
Urging the State Govt to approach the Centre for sanction of adequate amount of relief assistance so that no victim is left out, ATCA appealed to all field officers to undertake spot visit and conduct damage assessment in the far flung and interior areas of the hill districts.
In a statement, secretary of ATCA, Kabidon said that it was astonishing that the State's Chief Secretary has asked for about Rs 20 crore from the Centre as relief assistance to earthquake victims when the damages in the hill districts have been estimated to be about Rs 525 crore.
Strongly deploring the alleged slow response of the State Govt in the hill districts of the State, the chiefs' association said that the preliminary report of loss and damages published in local dailies do not include casualties from interior areas as the State Govt agencies fail to undertake field visit and damage assessment after the earthquake.
Quoting its own sources, ATCA said that 3525 houses were badly damaged in Tamenglong district while 3245 houses were damaged in Senapati/Sadar Hills by the earthquake.
In Ukhrul, 1335 houses were damaged, while 950 houses were damaged and 1500 houses damaged in Churchandpur, ATCA said.
The figures are preliminary reports compiled from tribal chiefs and the figure is likely to increase as reports from far flung and interior areas are yet to be received, it said.
The association urged the Central and State Govt to expedite the process for awarding assistance at the earliest.
It further demanded that the State Govt adheres to the guidelines as laid down in the 'Items and norms of assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Re- sponse Fund for the period 2015-20 in regard to grant of relief assistance to the victims of natural calamities.
ATCA further urged the Chief Secretary to instruct respective DCs to effect the transfer of relief assistance to the victims of the recent earthquake through electronic transfer into the account of the victims.
ATCA also shared the pain and sorrow of the bereaved families who lost their dear and near ones in the earthquake.