IMPHAL, February 26: The State government will decide on whether to retrofit repair or reconstruct the Ima Markets damaged by the recent January 4 earthquake once the State government receive the reports of the teams of Natural Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and IIT Roorkee, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh informed the House today.
The Chief Minister who is also the leader of the House was replying to a starred question raised by BJP MLA Th Bishwajit.
The opposition MLA had questioned whether the Ima Market buildings were not made earthquake resistant or whether there was any defect in the construction.
Chief Minister Ibobi who also holds the MAHUD portfolio replied that the State government had invited expert teams from IIT Roorkee and from the NCBBL and the NDMA for spot verification of the damages of the market buildings.
He said the government is awaiting the reports of the expert teams.
Once the government recieves the reports, we will be able to know whether the damages were due to defects in the structural design or whether quality was not maintained during construction, he said.
He also informed the House that the government is firm on punishing any person found responsible in any way.
MLA K Shyam also raised a similar question pointing out that the surrounding buildings of which some were even more than 40 years old were not affected by the earthquake, while two of the Ima Markets suffered major dmages.
He questioned is it because quality was not maintained in the construction of the markets.
In his supplementary question, Bishwajit also raised that other market sheds like the Kongba Market were damaged beyond repair and the women vendors are facing much hardship.
He asked as to whether the government has any plans to reconstruct or repair such affected market sheds.
In his reply, the Chief Minister clarified that it is not just the Kongba Market shed, but almost all those in the periphery areas of Imphal which were affected by the earthquake.
Ibobi further said that considering this, the government has prepared a collective assistance consolidation DPR for new constructions of the markets affected by the earthquake like the Kongba Market, Babu Market, Bishnupur Market, Lamlong Khurai Market etc.
This DPR will soon be submitted to the Central government for financial assistances, the Chief Minister told the House.
He also added that at the moment, the State government has already initiated the process for construction of a temporary market shed at Kongba which will soon start.