Final estimate will cross Rs 300 crore: Conrad

SHILLONG, June 27: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday said the financial assistance required by the state from the Centre to reconstruct the infrastructure and rehabilitate the people displaced by the spate of flood and landslides would go beyond the preliminary estimate of Rs 300 crore.
“There has been a massive damage. It will not be wise to talk about any amount until the final assessment is complete,” Sangma told reporters.
He said that the amount of Rs 300 crore sought from the Centre was based on the preliminary report compiled in the first 24 hours after flash floods and landslides had hit the state.
“The natural calamities had hit the state at a time when I had visited Delhi. I decided that I must go with some preliminary report and estimates of the damages during my meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. I had asked the PWD and other departments to prepare the estimate of damages to roads, agricultural farms and houses,” the CM said.
Sangma said the Union Home Minister has suggested a joint inspection by the central and state teams for an accurate assessment.
He said that the restoration of power in the affected areas has largely been completed but road connectivity remains a major issue.
According to him, the locations where the roads have been cut off from both sides will take time to be restored since the machinery for reconstruction of the roads has not been able to reach the locations. “I have visited these locations. I have not seen this sort of destruction at least in my recent memory. When I visited the location, the water level in the Simsang river had gone up around 30 to 40 feet than the normal in a matter of three hours,” Sangma said.
The CM also lauded the armed forces including Indian Air Force and BSF for providing relief measures including delivering food and essentials to the affected population.