Ukhrul, March 10 2009: A day after the major fire incident at Wino Bazar which reduced the commercial hub of the district to cinders, a Ministerial team today rushed to the district headquarters along with relief materials and conducted an on the spot assessment of the catastrophe.

The Ministerial team comprising Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii, Works Minister K Ranjit Singh and Education Minister L Jayantakumar was also accompanied by MLAs I Hemochandra and Mairembam Prithiviraj, Commissioner of Relief and Rehabilitation Dr Sohail Akhtar, MPCC secretary Victor Keishing, Ex-Ministers A Aza and AS Arthur and ATSUM president Thomas Kaisa during the spot assessment.

However, as the Ministerial team got down from their vehicles for the spot assessment at around 2 pm, a commotion was erupted with agitated victims of the inferno blocking the Ministerial team from entering the fire-ravaged site citing delayed response from the side of the Government.

The agitated victims were, however, pacified soon after and the Ministerial team conducted a detailed survey of the damage.

Although the official report of the police quoted the number of shops and buildings damaged in the fire at 49 only, the report furnished by the Relief Committee set up in the aftermath of the catastrophe cited that a total number of 55 shops, 53 residential buildings, five Government teachers' quarters, a mini cinema hall, office of the Tangkhul Shanao Long were gutted in the fire.

The report of the Relief Committee also mentioned that major communication installations like Airtel tower, BSNL cables and electric wires were among the assets destroyed beyond redemption in the fire.

36 other structures that were affected by the blazing inferno and were standing in precarious condition have been reportedly pulled down to avoid any untoward incident.

The total loss of properties and other assets is still being estimated although an unofficial source put the figure at Rs 30 crores.

Yesterday's devastating fire has rendered 370 members of 93 families homeless, out of which around 70 Non-Manipuris have taken sheltered in the nearby Durga Mandir.

Assam Rifles has been providing food and other essential commodities to the affected people who are putting up in the makeshift relief camps at Ukhrul Town Hall and the Assembly hall of Tangkhul Naga Long as well even as relief materials have started pouring in from NGOs and other well-wishers of the town.

Addressing a public meeting at the Tangkhul Naga Long later during the day after the assessment, the Ministerial team assured every possible assistance from the side of the Government in rehabilitating the victims of the fire considered to be one of the major tragedy in recent years.

The Ministerial team also provided 200 quintal of rice, 250 blankets, 3000 litres of kerosene oil, 100 litres of mustard cooking oil and 25 bags of salt as relief materials for the fire victims.

However, since the model code of conduct of the ensuing Lok Sabha election has already been enforced, the Ministerial handed over the relief materials to the Deputy Commissioner of the district for distribution among the victims.

Towards the end of the public meeting, various representations have also been submitted to the visiting Ministerial team.

From the side the Relief Committee, prominent demands raised include upgradation of the fire brigade station at Ukhrul by providing three up-to-date fir tenders, setting up of a National Disaster Mitigation Committee to take stop of such eventualities in the future, installation of fire extinguishers in all the residential buildings and educational institutions and setting up of an Inquiry Commission to probe into the incident.

The fire is suspected to have been ignited from a tea stall.

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