Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 13 (EMN): Five members central team led by Joint Secretary (Admin) Prakash of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) arrived here on Thursday afternoon to take stock of the flood crisis in Manipur. The visiting central team which includes officials from agriculture, finance, rural development and transport visited the flood affected areas in Imphal East district. The team was accompanied by Principal Secretary (Relief and disaster management) MH Khan and Deputy Commissioner Th Chitra of Imphal East district.
Later they also visited flood hit villages under Imphal West district to assess the ground situation to prepare a report prior to arrival of Union home minister Kiren Rijiju who is currently visiting flood affected areas of Assam. Rijiju is expected to arrive Imphal on Saturday. Meanwhile more villages and farmlands have been submerged in Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur districts after Imphal, Thoubal and tributaries of Manipur River breached and overflowing at Wangoi Khaidem, Thoubal Khekman and Kumbi areas since Wednesday night.
More government offices and quarters including RIMS doctors quarters located in the low lying areas particularly in the wetlands in valley which were known as rice bowl of the state, have been inundated. Many central and state institutions such as National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology in Akampat, National Institute of Technology, Regional centre of organic farming, Indian Council for Agricultural Research in Lamphelpat, state offices in Porompat, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development and state science centre in Takyepat and other farmlands in Yaralpat areas are still under water.
Manipur has witnessed 1426.4 mm of rainfall as on July 13 against last year’s record of 1852.4 mm, according to ICAR, the Manipur centre report. Even though the water level of the Imphal, Nambul and Iril rivers which passes through the greater Imphal areas are decreasing and the Kongba river is increasing in the wake of rains in its upper course.
Considering the woes being endured by a large number of people in the state due to recent spates of flood, several organisations have been donating funds to the Chief Minister’s relief fund. UNACCO group, SBI employees and Business Excellence Group contributed a total of Rs. 7.5 lakh to the relief fund. Apunba Manipur Matam Ishei Kanglup Manipur Home Guards Employees’ Welfare Association and All Manipur Government Aided College Teachers’ Association had donated Rs.1 lakh each, students, teaching and non-teaching staffs of Mega Manipur School, Yaralpat had contributed Rs. 15,000 to the CM’s relief fund.
