50 Chandel villages make distress call
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 10 2015:
Thousands of people residing in around 50 villages within Tengnoupal sub-division of Chandel district have been enduring a precarious situation following landslides and sinking of roads at different places.
This was discovered during field inspection trip organised by the Rural Peoples Development Federation, village chiefs and chairmen of Rilram Centre area.
Both Rilram Centre and Khoibu Centre have been cut off from other parts of the State which has resulted in severe hardships to the people residing there, said the village chiefs.
Rilram Centre can be reached from Sita Lamkhai, Khudengthabi or Machi.
But all these three routes have been cut off.
At H Molnoi which is a part of Phalbung village located around 8 Kms from Sita Lamkhai, a 300 metres long section of the road which is connected to Kasom Khullen in Ukhrul district has sunk quite deep.
H Molnoi chief L Thongjang Haokip said that the particular road section sunk in the intervening night of July 30 and 31.Even today, sliding of earth has not stopped totally.
The villagers are of the opinion that the landslides were combined effect of heavy rainfall and earthquake.
Because trees grow abundantly at the area and similar landslides took place at many other places of Tengnoupal sub-division.
They expressed keen desire for the State Government to send experts and study the landslides.
They also sought immediate attention of the Government towards the misery of the affected people.
In the same manner, Rilram Centre has also been cut off as landslides and sinking at six/seven places have totally disconnected the 25 Kms long road from Khudengthabi to Rilram Centre.
K Angdou, a representative of the Rilram Area Chiefs Association said that thousands of villagers have been enduring severe hardships as they have been totally isolated.
The road is being developed under PMGSY Phase X.But the road development work is at the very initial stage of laying shingles.
Apart from shortage of food materials, the villagers have been rendered totally helpless when they need medical attention.
After narrating the plight of Rilram Centre people, K Angdou went back to his home on foot which is 25 Kms away.
The condition of the road connecting Rilram Centre to Machi is not any better.
Narum village chief NS Mukhulip said that the recent landslides and sinking of road have multiplied the woes of villagers who are already enduring all kinds of difficulties because of the area's remoteness.
Children's education has been disrupted, crops have been devastated and sick people have been left to their own fates, Mukhulip said.
On the other hand, Rilram Area Natural Disaster and Landslide Relief Committee was formed at a meeting of village chiefs on
August 4 .
The meeting resolved to urge the Government to provide necessary relief materials immediately.
Meanwhile, fresh landslides occurred along Imphal-Moreh highway near Lokchai and at Laimaton near Tengnoupal as a result of heavy rainfall which lashed the area last night.
Mounds of earth brought down by the landslides were removed today using earth movers.
Notably, it was just a couple of days back that connectivity between Imphal and Moreh was restored after multiple landslides cut off the highway at different places.
Comment
