Stress laid for flood management initiatives, flood survey
TURA, Oct 9: Shocked by the scale of destruction perpetrated by nature, which snuffed out 15 precious lives in the Garo Hills region, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that a comprehensive study to survey vulnerable areas is the need of the hour to prevent natural calamities in the face of continuing climate change.
The Chief minister on Tuesday toured the flood affected region of Dalu in West Garo Hills and Gasuapara in South Garo Hills.
Having trekked on foot through a village route covered with mud and slush- remains of nature’s fury, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, along with other MLAs and district officials, including Deputy Commissioner and police chief, visited the site where the bodies of the seven victims were laid to rest.
Standing at the very site where a house once stood, an entire family of seven wiped out in an instant by the fury of nature on the morning of October 4th, the chief minister told grieving family members at Atisia Songmong of the pain felt by everyone over the loss of human lives.
Consoling the long surviving member of the landslide- a father who lost his wife and 1year 6 month old in that tragedy, he expressed condolences and assured of all possible help from the government side.
Sangma attended a prayer meeting for the departed souls held by church elders by the grave side.
The chief minister personally handed over ex-gratia amounts, ₹4 lakh each for the deceased, the victims families at Dalu and Atisia Songmong.
During his interactions, he underlined the need for flood management initiatives and flood survey to prevent such casualties and directed the officials to undertake repair works on priority and ensure all assistance to affected residents.
He handed over ex-gratia amounts for five victims to family member Watison Marak and for remaining two victims to Baseng Momin, who lost his wife and one-and-half-year-old son.
He also took part in a prayer ceremony held for the victims at the village and also heard the grievances of the people. He assured that government will ensure that restoration of road and electricity will be expedited.
The chief minister also visited the grieving parents of Miando P Marak, a five-year-old boy who died in a landslide while playing behind their house Sorokpara village in Dalu on October 4.
Sangma visited the home of Santa Marak, who was buried alive in a landslide at Koinabhui in Dalu. She is survived by her daughter who also sustained injuries in the incident.
At Rongkhon Songgital in Tura, the chief minister handed over ex-gratia amount of ₹ 8 lakh to the wife of a teacher Bijoy Marak, who along with his son Wian Chigado R Marak was swept away by floodwaters on October 4.
Meanwhile, he took stock of the widespread damage caused to households and interacted with the affected residents.
Later, in a meeting with West Garo Hills district authorities, he reviewed the ongoing relief operations and damages caused by flash floods and landslides in Dalu C&RD Block.
Seven people perished in Atisia Songomong from landslides, another 3 died in Dalu region, a father and son duo drowned after their car got swept awat by flood wtsers near Dimapara, a young man died when a tree fell on his car in Songsak during the storm, and two children, girls aged 8 and 3 years, drowned in a water filled pit dug behind their house in North Garo Hills.
