LEW system to be operational by 2025: Awangbow
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, July 27 2022: On the third day of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, Relief & Disaster Management minister Awangbow Newmai informed the House that Geological Survey of India (GSI) has initiated the Research & Development Activities and the ground work for developing regional Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) including the North Eastern Region.

He said that the evaluation and calibration of models is still continuing and will be made operational after successful ground evaluation with effect from 2025 onwards.

This was stated by the minister in response to the question raised by MLA Surjakumar Okram.

Regarding the recent landslide in Noney district, minister Awangbow said that the total number of fatalities as on July 23 was 58 while three persons remain unaccounted for and 18 were rescued.

On the other-hand, forest minister Th Biswajit Singh while replying to posers raised by MLA Chinlunthang informed that there are 37 reserved forests and 23 protected forests across the districts in the state.

Cheklaphai, covering an area of around 52.84 sq.km, was declared as Reserved Forest by Manipur State Darbar Resolution No.2 dated 12.12.1945 before Indian Forest Act, 1927 was enacted in Manipur, the minister added.

Taking part in the discussion, chief minister N Biren said that steps have been taken up by state government to curb attacks on non-Manipuris.

In the last five years (2017 till July 25, 2022), 20 non-Manipuris were killed.

To stop such incidents, CM informed the house that various preventive measures have been taken up by state government while 14 FIR cases have been registered for further investigation and one accused was arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

He further said that police have been given instruction to always remain alert to curb incidents of attacks on non-Manipuris by way of collection of intelligence, regular frisking/checking, identification of suspected persons and regular checking of the places where the non-Manipuris reside, deployment of police personnel round the clock in the worksites where non-Manipuris are working in the districts, dedicated deployment in localities where there is sizeable non-Manipuri settlement/populations, surprise search and verification drives from time to time based on inputs as well as on suspicion, frequent patrolling in and around vulnerable pockets where the non-locals are residing are done, he elaborated.

While confiding that interactions between non-locals and officials concerned are being carried out at regular intervals, he also stated that local landlords and employers have been asked to be careful about potential threats and to extend cooperation to non-locals so that non-locals do not have to move out.

Beat System is being implemented and personnel concerned are monitoring round the clock at the vulnerable areas of non-Manipuris residing in the districts, said CM.

While giving clarification on the calling attention motion raised by MLA Kh Joykisan on reported scarcity of water for agricultural purposes in Imphal East, Agriculture minister Th Biswajit informed the House that under the supervision of Leader of the House N Biren, District Level Committee with all line departments have already been constituted to look into the matter.

Later, CM Biren tabled "The Manipur Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Rules, 2021" in the House.

Comment