Govt balm to Dima Hasao flood-hit
HT Correspondent
Haflong, May 19: Assam minister for Revenue & Disaster Management, Hills Area Development etc and Dima Hasao Guardian minister Jogen Mohan along with Assam Power minister Bimal Borah on being instructed by chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma reached Haflong on Thursday to take stock of the situation after the latest disaster that occurred in the district.
Accompanied by the Council chief executive member Debolal Gorlosa, local MLA Nandita Gorlosa, deputy commissioner Nazreen Ahmed, superintendent of police Jayant Singh and other executive members and officers they visited sites where the maximum devastation took place within the town and neighbouring places.
They also visited Hokai Pungchi where three persons lost their lives due to a landslide.
Ex-gratia amounting to Rs. 4 lakh to NOK of each of the 3 families has been sanctioned and will be handed over by the District Disaster Management Authority, said the minister for Revenue and Disaster Management during the press meet held at the circuit house here on Thursday evening.
During the press meet minister Bimal Borah informed that the Government is taking all necessary steps to make commodities available at market so that people in Haflong do not need to suffer. As informed 4 MT of essentials like daal and rice was dropped by helicopter service on Wednesday and 7 quintals rice, 2 quintals daal, 1.5 tons of potato, 1 ton of onion and 500 litres of mustard oil was dropped by air on Thursday.
Simultaneously, a total of 127 stranded passengers were evacuated via helicopter service by Indian Air Force in coordination with DDMA from helipads at Assam Rifles field at Sarkari Bagan and near Dibaria High school.
Jogen Mohan assured that the Government will take all necessary steps to also reach the rural areas where crises have occurred once the assessment report is completed by Friday so that the next course of action for interior areas may be planned out.
As of now Haflong is accessible by road from Guwahati with NHAI and PWD and other line departments on continuous duty available with the JCB service.
The total assessment report will soon be provided by the departments as decided in a review meeting held with the HODs on Thursday in the presence of principal secretary of NCHAC Thai Tsho Daulagupu and other council officers.
Minister also informed that the level of destruction has been large and as reported till now two houses were completely destroyed and 25 houses which have been partially destroyed and the number could rise as the investigation proceeds.
