Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 17 (EMN): Three days after the National Highway 2, connecting Kohima and Manipur was completely cut off at Viswema Village in the early hours of July 15, the Viswema Village Council (VVC) and Viswema Youth Organisation (VYO) continues to voluntarily assist the travellers from early morning till late in the evening.
About fifty youth volunteers from Viswema village is said to have been assisting the travellers of free service by carrying their luggage from 5 a.m till 10 p.m.
The landslide has completely cut off about 200 metres of the road and the mudslides to about 150 metres below the road. Viswema Village Health Centre has been providing first aid service at the site for the travellers and the workers since day one of the landslides.
Talking to media persons at the site, VYO president, Visakho Kiso said the ongoing works for fresh cutting for an alternative road is going on continuously with five machineries stationed at the site. Although the BRO has assured to finish the road cutting by July 20, VYO officials were apprehensive that it could take months with the continuous mudslides.
Students of four government primary schools, a middle school, Baptist English School Viswema, St Joseph Higher Secondary School, John GHSS, Pfutsana School, St Joseph’s College and Japfü Christian College were badly affected who have trek the hill to and fro everday.
It was informed that Southern Angami Students’ Union [SASU] and Viswema Students Union [VSU] have been assisting the students by arranging bus service for them.
Kiso informed that a new footpath for the travellers need to be laid again tomorrow as the present footpath made by the Viswema Village Council has developed cracks and with the continued mudslides have rendered the footpath unstable and unsafe.
He said that two big tress fell down last night and cut off the power lines to Manipur, and it also triggered further landslides.
It was informed that DC Kohima, SDO [C], EAC, PWD officials, engineers visited the site this morning and has assured to provide all logistics help to make functional the fresh road cutting at the earliest, and also to help arrange alternative route for light vehicles.
State Disaster Management Authority was said to have extended Rs 10,000 as relief fund to the village council, but the villagers have also requested for relief materials.
Meanwhile, due to safety reasons, VYO has requested travellers not to travel after 8 pm, and to carry light luggage as the footpath is strenuous.
Southern Angami Youth Organisation [SAYO] general secretary, Viraseto Neikha while stating that it has been doing everything it can from its side to assist safe passage of the travellers, he informed about the taxi fares fixed at Rs 50 from Viswema to Kohima and Rs 20 from Viswema to Khuzama.
In this regard, Kiso has asked all commuters to report to the youth body if any taxi drivers are charging extra fares than the fixed amount.
