IMPHAL, January 8: Leimakhong area under Khurkhul Gram Panchayat, who are among the worst affected by the January 4 earthquake, are still waiting for government relief work, according to locals.
They said ever since the quake, people of the area have been staying away from their houses fearing that stronger aftershocks might follow.
The recent quake has affected eight villages under Ward No. 9 of Khurkhul Gram Panchayat badly. Around 250 people have been staying in open spaces day and night, including women and children, the locals claimed.
At least 70 houses have been affected by the quake, of which 50 houses are totally devastated. The area has a mixed populace of Meitei, Nepali and Kuki-Chin tribe.
In this regard, Ayangbam Oken president SC Morcha of BJP Manipur Pradesh, Khangembam Randhoni Zilla Parishad Member, Khangembam Dhanapati Pradhan Khurkhul Gram Panchayat, Furitsabam Jiten Meitei Member of Ward No. 7 distributed essential commodities to the villagers today.
Speaking on the sideline of the distribution work Oken said his relief team has distributed eatable items and a few tarpaulins for temporary shelter to the villagers.
He took serious note of the NDRF team which earlier had visited the affected site after the earthquake but has failed to return.
He claimed that relief work taken up by the government has been moving at a snail’s pace.
Randhoni said that Ward No. 7 has eight villages: Kanto Sabal, Keingam, Co-operative, Ex-serviceman Colony, Premnagar, Tower Basti and Leimakhong Chingmang respectively.
She continued that there is immediate need for relief work from the government.
“Four persons were killed in this area during the earthquake and it is condemnable that the authorities concerned are not swinging in into action. Moreover the villagers are reeling under traumatic conditions after the quake”, Randhoni lamented.
Dhanapati said, “The villagers are taking help from various social workers, Village development Authority Committee, nearby Army Commandant and local clubs as the government authority has failed to reach out in this time of need”.
Usha Trikatri, a woman whose house was completely razed to ground said, “I have three small children and my husband has gone for job outside the State. It is extremely difficult to spend the night in open filed with the children”.