Search continues, no body found
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIO

Noney, July 13 2022: Intense search and rescue operation at the Makhuam (Marangching) landslides site continues since the last 14 days by the Joint Task Forces consisting of NDRF, SDRF, army, Assam rifles, CRPF, police, fire service, medical personnel and local volunteers.

Till Tuesday, 54 bodies have been recovered while 7 persons including 5 local villagers of Makhuam are still missing.

They are believed to be buried in the debris.

For the seventh time, Relief & Disaster Management minister Awangbow Newmai and HAC chairman D Gangmei visited the site on Wednesday and assessed the ongoing rescue operation.

The minister also chaired a review meeting held at the conference hall of Noney DC office with the participation of top officials of rescue team including army, railways, local village leaders and CSO leaders.

Among others, HAC chairmain MLA Dipu Gangmei, Additional Chief Secretary MH Khan, Noney DC H Guite, SP M Gopaldas, ADC S Khapudang and engineers from the railways attended the meeting.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, minister Awangbow informed that the search and rescue operation will be extended for another two days and on July 16 another review meeting will be held at Noney DC office to decide further course of action.

He also told the media that after due formality and procedures ex -gratia to the tune of Rs 5 lakh will be provided to families of the victims.

In the meantime, the minister thanked the rescue team for their relentless efforts.

During the meeting, the charter of demands was also submitted to the minister by the Makhuam Village Authority.

Minister Awangbow also stated that the government is trying its level best to find the missing bodies.

While informing that no body was found on Wednesday, the minister maintained that three corpses recovered from the Ijei river bed area on Tuesday are yet to be identified.

It may be mentioned that 30 organisations and individuals have extended relief materials to office of Noney DC in kind while another 13 provided cash amount to about Rs 2,61,500.A threadbare review meeting based on the memorandum submitted by Makhuam Village Authority (VA) was also held at the DC's conference room in the presence of minister Awangbow Newmai, The meeting resolved that the railways should consider and take decision before the next review meeting on all demands made by the VA.

The charter of demands placed before the state and the railway authorities by the VA included employment in the railway service or in any of the departments of government of Manipur as per the educational qualification of surviving members of two families whose sole bread earners succumbed to the landslide.

The village authority further demanded appropriate compensation for the losses of other personal properties of the affected people namely farm sites/estates, livestock and sand & stone quarrying sites including its stake up materials at sites; seeking GSI re-survey at Makhuam/Marangching area and if necessary skill reinforcement be taken up; creating a suitable dumping site for the debris and the pile of landslide soil so as to maintain ecological balance in Marangching area and also the downstream of Izei river; changing the nomenclature of Tupul Railway sub station to Makhuam Railway Sub-station, Haochong Railway Sub-Station to Makhuam Railway Sub-station and Jiri to Makhuam Railway Line; re-assessment of Environment Impact Assessment (E1A), Social Impact Assessment (SLA) in the jurisdiction of Makhuam Village; performing customary rites of cleansing village after calamity/tragic incident happened in the village and providing of customary/traditional funeral expenses; setting up of memorial park/site in memory of the victims/deceased of the massive landslide and providing free education up to graduation level to the unfortunate three orphaned children of a bereaved family by the NF Railway.

Comment