Devastating Marangching landslide of Jun 29 : Activist points finger at NFR
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 18 2022: Some quarters have alleged that delinquency of the Northern Frontier Railway (NFR) was responsible for the tragic landslide which devastated Marangching, Noney district.

Speaking to media persons at Marangching today, social activist Majabung Gangmei said that the Marangching area was first surveyed by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in 2013 .

GSI re-surveyed the same area in 2017 and it was pointed out that the area was not feasible for any railway sub-station, Majabung said.

As a result of the heavy rainfall which lashed the State in May and June, water started gushing down from the hills of Marangching.

Subsequently, NFR called a team of GSI from Shillong and the GSI team studied the area again from June 27 to 29, he said.

After studying the area, the GSI furnished a report on June 29 categorically stating that the area was highly risky and all the people living/staying there should be evacuated.

Unfortunately, the massive landslide struck the area in the night of June 29 .

Majabung Gangmei maintained that concealment of facts by NFR and their delinquency were responsible for the tragic landslide and loss of many precious lives.

He maintained that the NFR should be held accountable for the catastrophe.

It is rather disappointing that the NFR has been implementing such a huge project after concealing many facts, he said.

Till March this year, a team of IRB was stationed at the site which was devastated by the landslide.

They were replaced by Territorial Army.

Had the tragic landslide struck the area when the IRB team was there, the casualty could have been much higher and even Railway office might have become a target of people's anguish and fury, he said.

Conveying solidarity to all the families of the victims of the tragic landslide, Majabung said that the body of one villager buried by the landslide was recovered yesterday but the bodies of four other villagers and one TA personnel have not been recovered yet.

He also conveyed gratitude to the State Government for launching search and rescue operations promptly.

To a query, Majabung said that local people are still suspicious of many works undertaken by NFR under the railway project.

In the aftermath of the tragic landslide, the people of Marangching have submitted a memorandum to the authority concerned to re-conduct social impact assessment and environmental impact assessment and also to rope in the latest technology and equipment for the project, he said.

He maintained that the railway project demands complete re-evaluation.

Notably, bodies of 56 people buried by the landslide which struck Marangching in the night of June 29 have been recovered so far while five bodies could not be recovered yet.

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