Cabinet assesses losses due to storms, floods, to extend immediate relief
District admns asked to submit reports by today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 25 2016: Taking serious note of the destructions wreaked by the recent storms, heavy rains and hail stones, the State Cabinet convened a meeting today and after minutely discussing the situation resolved to ask the district administrations to submit detailed reports by tomorrow and extend immediate relief.

The Cabinet meet was held with the Chief Minister in the chair from 1 pm today at the CM's Secretariat.

According to Government spokesperson M Okendro, the Cabinet minutely discussed the reports submitted by the district administrations of Imphal West, Bishnupur, Chandel, Senapati, Churachandpur pertaining to the losses incurred due to the recent storms, hail storms, rains and floods.

Cabinet assesses losses due to storms, floods, to extend immediate relief

The Cabinet also directed the other districts to submit the detailed reports by tomorrow.

Immediate relief will be provided once all the districts submit their report, said Okendro.

Meanwhile reports of damage by hailstorms and heavy downpour continue to pour in from different parts of the State even today.

Violent storm accompanied by hailstones and rain caused extensive damage to houses rendering more than hundreds of people homeless in Kaiphundai, Tamenglong district, our correspondent reports.

Hailstones and storm that lashed Kaiphundai village under Tousem sub-division on Saturday and Sunday night consecutively, have shattered around 55 houses and blown off more than 5 houses.

No casualties reported.

The village authority has initiated steps to repair the losses.

They will however have to rely on the aids funded by the Government to cover the whole village.

Strong winds at around 10 pm yesterday blew away a house built inside a brick farm at Nongren Mamang Leikai.

A large number of standing crops and vegetables at Khangabok area have been damaged by heavy rains and hailstorms.

At Khangabok part I, II and III, many trees and houses have been uprooted.

About 90 % of Amuba High School building at Khangabok part II has been damaged, a statement informed.

At Yaoshurakpa under Moirang AC and Langathel, Thoubal, food crops, houses and other structures were largely damaged by the violent winds.

A team of reporters along with langathel Gram Panchayat Up-pradhan Sanahanbi inspected the damages at Langathel, Thoubal today.

Crops planted on 45 acres of agricultural land (Rs 1 crore approx) at Langathel, Thoubal were damaged by the heavy rains accompanied by hailstorm, a farmer at Langathel told the team.

Phungchong village, Churachandpur under Henglep AC also received heavy rains accompanied by hailstorm and violent winds on April 23 evening, a statement informed.

Vegetables and other standing crops were reportedly damaged in the hailstorm.

The State Government has been asked to extend immediate assistance to the affected people Statewide.

In the meantime, a team of BJP Manipur Pradesh members led by its vice president Thokchom Jadumani today inspected the damages at Khangabok Kendra, Thoubal Zilla.

The team minutely inspected the damaged houses at Khangabok Mayai Leikai, Meisnam Leikai, Lamlong, Lamlong Makha, Khangabok Makha Khundon and Khangabok Tangkha Leikai.

The team came across 157 houses that were severely damaged by the hailstorm, our correspondent reports.

Members of BJP Khangabok Mandal Yuva Morcha and Minority Cell also took part in the inspection drive.

The same team will inspect damages at Sangaiyumpham part I, II, Khangabok Khunou and Laipal.

BJP State councillor and social worker Ningthoujam Diten Singh, on the other hand, distributed GI sheets to 170 affected families at Heirok today.

The Chandel Naga People Organisation on Sunday also visited hailstorm affected victims of Chothe khunou and adjoining villages.

The organisation has appeal to the district administration to provide immediate relief in the form of GI sheets as soon as possible.

CNPO has expressed disappointment with the administration for failing to provide relief to those people who were affected last year.

It has drawn immediate attention of the Deputy Commissioner to tackle the problem immediately.

The Cabinet has also decided to fill up the vacant posts in Grade III and Grade IV in the Health and Family Welfare Department to avail medical facilities to the people.

Taking serious note of the health of infants, the Cabinet also discussed the incentive of Rs 1057.01 crore released by the Centre under the 13th Finance Commission for the financial year 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 .

The posts to be filled up include 165 in Grade IV, 165 Staff Nurses, 61 drivers, 91 LDCs, 62 pharmacists (allopathy), 64 posts of Male Health Workers.

It was also agreed to recruit anew 175 ANMs/FHWs for the posts where the former incumbents have retired.

Under the National Health Mission, it was agreed to fill up the posts of 8 Dental Surgeons, one Dental Assistant, 16 Ayush pharmacists, 22 posts of Instructors for Hearing Impaired children and others on contract basis.

To enable farmers reap kharif crop, the Cabinet also agreed to set aside the needed amount of money for 15,000 MT buffer stock.

The spokesperson further said that the Cabinet also agreed to set aside Rs 4,69,30,200 as subsidy component for purchase of Urea for kharif crops and Rs 95,69,927 as additional amount.

Surbhi Logistics will be engaged to transport the 15,000 MT of Urea from Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation Limited, Dimapur.

Another important decision taken was to recognise the certificates of different foundation courses, diploma and post diploma courses conducted by the JNMDA.

It was also agreed to appoint one teacher each at Shree Shree Balmukun Dev Music College and Government Dance College to teach, Hindi, English and Manipuri.