SHILLONG/MAWKYRWAT, June 17: Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday said the chief engineer of PWD and officers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have formulated a plan to restore a critical stretch of NH6 damaged in a landslide.
The affected stretch is at Lumshnong in East Jaintia Hills district.
“We inspected the road and found disasters are waiting to happen. The situation is very grim with the road rendered unusable,” Rymbui, the head of the newly-constituted regional committee for Jaintia Hills, said.
He said the PWD and NHAI officials have engaged people to divert the water so that work on restoring four damaged sections of the road can start.
“All the materials needed to temporarily restore the road have reached the site and efforts are on to restore the road initially for small vehicles,” Rymbui said.
An alternative road with the help of a cement firm has been opened for small vehicles, he added.
The regional committee for Eastern West Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills headed by PHE Minister Renikton L Tongkhar has prioritised the identification of vulnerable areas and evacuation of people residing along the river banks and disaster-prone areas.
He told The Shillong Times that the deputy commissioners have been asked to shift people in vulnerable areas to the houses of their relatives in safer locations or to government buildings.
The district administration will provide all the help and the logistics to the evacuees, he said.
While schools in low-lying areas have been closed, officials of the PWD have been asked to keep excavators on standby for clearing debris from the roads wherever landslides happen.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma communicated via video conferencing with the chairmen of the regional committees, deputy commissioners, officials of Meghalaya Police and various departments to review the situation in all the districts and to chalk out the plan of action.
Terming the loss of lives in the state in the past few days as sad and unfortunate, Sangma assured to extend any and all assistance required in the districts.
He called on the teams on the ground to ensure supply of essentials, relocation of people from high risk areas, identification of more shelter homes, early release of ex-gratia to the family of the deceased and road connectivity to the districts.
On Friday, Tongkhar along with Water Resources Minister Brolding Nongsiej and officials from various departments inspected the areas affected by flash floods and landslides in Eastern West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts.
The inspection began at Nongshilong-Jashiar road which has been affected by a series of mud slides, particularly at Rngisawlia village.
The team then proceeded to Jashiar village where they met the family members of Heal Sentimerry Marwein, who had lost her life on Thursday, and announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh. They were accompanied by South West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Caramai Kharkongor and Superintendent of Police BJ Laloo.
Later Tongkhar and the others inspected the Rangthong-Ngunraw road in Ranikor which was cut off at Twah Ringai following a major landslide.
Tongkhar said he had spoken with the headman of Ngunraw village and urged him to find another way or footpath for the people to pass through. “I will be talking to the district administration to find ways and means on how to restore the footpath to ensure that residents of Ngunraw village have a safe passage,” he added.
Meanwhile, a day after the massive catastrophe at Nongspung Laitlarem village under Mawphlang C&RD Block, where four siblings had died in a landslide on Thursday, Disaster Management Minister Kyrmen Shylla and local MLA Samlin Malngiang, among others, visited the site and met the family. Government officials including Matsiewdor War Nongbri and officials from the Supply department also visited the family.
Three of the victims – Wallambiang Kharmyndai (9), Banlumlang Kharmyndai (6) and Ribhalin Kharmyndai (4) – had died on the spot while Daphilari Kharmyndai (8) succumbed to her injuries on the way to hospital.
The family members said it was a shocking incident since everything was normal on that day and there was the usual rainfall but they could hardly foretell that the day would spell disaster for the family.
Shylla said he was pained over the loss of four young lives and assured that the department would take all measures to assist people affected by the natural calamity.
The minister said he had instructed all the deputy commissioners to fast-track the release of compensation for the victims.
