Ranjit assuages Ukhrul residents
Source: Hueiyen News Service
New Delhi, March 10 2009:
A team of Ministers and MLAs led by the Works Minister, K Ranjit today visited the site where Wino bazar stood at Ukhrul district headquarters till yesterday, but now completely devastated by Monday's inferno, and distributed relief materials to the affected people through the district's Deputy Commissioner.
The team of Ministers and MLAs who rushed to Ukhrul to visit the site of destruction of the commercial hub of Ukhrul district headquarters, Wino Bazar caused by a conflagration was blocked for sometime by the aggrieved public of Ukhrul town and did not allow the Ministerial team to enter the fire-ravaged area.
Expressing their extreme sorrow, complaining that the Ministers and the MLAs neglected them and did not come while tragedy struck, huge crowd of local people tried to prevent the team from proceeding further towards the fire-ravaged site.
The team reached there around 1.30pm. However, after much persuasion by Tangkhul elders and leaders, the Ministers and the MLAs, who were about to go back to Imphal, were allowed to inspect the destruction caused by the inferno.
Works Minister, K Ranjit was accompanied by Education Minister, L Jayentakumar, Tribal Development Minister, DD Thaisii, MLAs I Hemochandra and Prithiviraj and Commissioner, Relief.
During a public meeting held later at the Tangkhul Naga Long ground, the Ukhrul public vented their disappointment saying that they didn't appreciate the relief materials after disaster struck, but they wanted adequate infrastructures to control any such disaster instantly in future.
Speaking at the meeting, Works Minister, K Ranjit informed the gathering that since the election code of conduct had come into force, the Government cannot announce assurances for help openly.
However, the Works Minister had sought reports of the damage caused by the inferno through the Deputy Commissioner, and said that the Government will certainly provide all possible help.
Even as the election code of conduct had been in force, the Works Minister brought some relief materials for the affected people of the natural calamity.
The materials include 200 quintals of rice, 250 blankets, 100 litres of edible oil, 25 kgs of common salt, and 3000 litres of kerosene oil.
The Works Minister also urged the people of Ukhrul not to repeat that the government is meting out step-motherly treatment to the people of Ukhrul.
He said that he has visited the town and the district many times since he took charge as Works Minister and punished many who had drawn money for the construction roads.
He also assured suitable assistance and help for the affected people.
He also clarified that due to the distance and arrangement of relief materials the Ministers and MLAs could not visit the town in time.
It may be mentioned that devastating firestorm has reduced several houses and shops of Ukhrul's commercial centre, Wino Bazar to ashes yesterday destroying properties worth millions of Rupees.