State Govt takes stock of situation

UKHRUL, Mar 10: A day after the major fire incident at Wino Bazar which reduced the commercial hub of the district to cinders, a Ministerial team today rushed to the district headquarters along with relief materials and conducted an on the spot assessment of the catastrophe.The Ministerial team comprising Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii, Works Minister K Ranjit Singh and Education Minister L Jayantakumar was also accompanied by MLAs I Hemochandra and Mairembam Prithiviraj, Commissioner of Relief and Rehabilitation Dr Sohail Akhtar, MPCC secretary Victor Keishing, Ex-Ministers A Aza and AS Arthur and ATSUM president Thomas Kaisa during the spot assessment.However, as the Ministerial team got down from their vehicles for the spot assessment at around 2 pm, a commotion was erupted with agitated victims of the inferno blocking the Ministerial team from entering the fire-ravaged site citing delayed response from the side of the Government. The agitated victims were, however, pacified soon after and the Ministerial team conducted a detailed survey of the damage.Although the official report of the police quoted the number of shops and buildings damaged in the fire at 49 only, the report furnished by the Relief Committee set up in the aftermath of the catastrophe cited that a total number of 55 shops, 53 residential buildings, five Government teachers’ quarters, a mini cinema hall, office of the Tangkhul Shanao Long were gutted in the fire.The report of the Relief Committee also mentioned that major communication installations like Airtel tower, BSNL cables and electric wires were among the assets destroyed beyond redemption in the fire.36 other structures that were affected by the blazing inferno and were standing in precarious condition have been reportedly pulled down to avoid any untoward incident.The total loss of properties and other assets is still being estimated although an unofficial put the figure at Rs 30 crores.Yesterday’s devastating fire has rendered 370 members of 9source 3 families homeless, out of which around 70 Non-Manipuris have taken sheltered in the nearby Durga Mandir.Assam Rifles has been providing food and other essential commodities to the affected people who are putting up in the makeshift relief camps at Ukhrul Town Hall and the Assembly hall of Tangkhul Naga Long as well even as relief materials have started pouring in from NGOs and other well-wishers of the town.