SHILLONG, June 19: The Meghalaya government has sought a financial package of Rs 300 crore from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to reconstruct road and other infrastructure and to arrange for relief and rehabilitation of people affected by the record-breaking rainfall.
Announcing this on Sunday, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said, “The rain has been unprecedented and in some areas it has broken records of the past 40 years. This is real heavy rain, which was not expected. Major roads, highways and important roads in rural areas and bridges have been damaged in the rain. There has been a huge impact as far as damages are concerned and the financial implication will be very high. There has been a huge impact for the livelihood of the people as well, including damages to livestock, farming activities across the state.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been apprised of the situation in the state, Sangma said, adding, “We have taken steps to assess the damages but it will take time. The Centre will send a team to assess the damages.”
Earlier in the day, the CM, accompanied by Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, PWD engineers and NHAI and district officials, inspected the damaged portion of National Highway 6 at Lumshnong in East Jaintia Hills.
The arterial NH-6 has witnessed multiple landslides and the road has caved-in in several places disrupting communication between Jaintia Hills and the neighbouring states of Assam, Mizoram and Tripura.
As a temporary measure, an alternative route has been identified and opened for light motor vehicles via the Star Cement premises in Lumshnong.
During his visit to the landslide-hit areas, the chief minister interacted with truck drivers, who have been stranded in the area for three days, and assured all possible help from the administration.
The CM said efforts were being made to restore the road link within the next 48 to 72 hours, subject to the weather.
Restoration work has been hampered due to the continuous downpour but the government and the administration has been working 24×7 to ensure that the road communication is restored, he said.
“All efforts are being made to restore the damaged portions of the road to ensure accessibility. However, there is a huge challenge, as rain is not stopping. Once the rain recedes and the flow of the water is diverted, the affected areas can be restored,” he said.
At Lumshnong, water has been pouring down from the hillocks along NH-6 affecting restoration work.
The CM also said that in the next 24 hours, efforts will be made to ensure that light motor vehicles are able to use this road (NH-6) and if the rain recedes in the next 48-72 hours movement of trucks carrying essential supplies may resume.
More than a thousand trucks, a great number of them carrying essentials, have been stranded on either side of the mud slides at Lumshnong and Sonapur.
Following his visit to Lumshnong, the CM held a review meeting at the DC’s office in Khliehriat to take stock of the situation in the eastern region of the state.
Sangma is scheduled to visit Mawsynram on Monday and Garo Hills on Tuesday to review the damages and to oversee the relief work.
