By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: It has been eight years since the tragic chopper crash at a hillock at Nongkhla near Kyrdemkulai in Ri-Bhoi claimed ten lives including that of a minister and few MLAs of the State.
Over the years, time has erased the memory of the incident from the minds of the people and the Government.
Among those killed in the chopper crash were minister Cyprian Sangma, legislators Ardhendu Chaudhuri, Heltone Marak, Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Chairman from Tura Rikseng Sangma, Shillong-based businessman Shrolenson Marbaniang, Joint Director of Printing Novelson Sangma, former Deputy Speaker of State Legislative Assembly Ira Marak and retired Joint Director of Labour, Sudhir D Shira. The pilot, Captain Jain and co-pilot Captain Anand were also killed when the Pawan Hans helicopter they were travelling in crashed on September 22, 2004.
After the incident, the Government and various organizations had paid tributes to the departed souls by organizing commemorative functions.
However, this was short-lived as there was no Government function a year later.
An exception was the commemorative function of a charitable organization — Ardhendu Chaudhuri Charitable Trust — which has continued to hold functions for the last seven years to recall the contribution of late legislator Chaudhuri, who was one of the victims of the chopper crash.
This year too, the Charitable Trust together with Rilbong Sports and Cultural Club will organise a commemorative function at Rilbong Community Hall on Saturday evening which will be attended by Cabinet Minister Prestone Tynsong.
Floral tributes, songs, dances, speeches and launching of welfare programmes will be part of the function.
In the past, there was a plan on the part of the Government to erect a memorial at the accident site and subsequently to convert the site into a tourist spot, but both the initiatives were not followed up.
When contacted, Transport Minister AT Mondal said that he would check on the status of these two proposals.
“I can take up the issue of erecting a memorial at the site in the next meeting with the officials of the transport department,” he said.