IMPHAL, February 19: The families of the victims of the Litan Sareikhong inferno are waiting for the state government to help reconstruct their shelters.
This was stated by Hemkhothang Baite, chief of the Litan Sareikhong village.
Speaking in a relief camp, organised by the United NGOs Mission Manipur (UNMM) to provide help to the victims of the Litan inferno, he said: “We are happy about the help received from various quarters after the Litan inferno that occurred on February 4 around 11.30 pm claiming the life of a girl and rendering 14 families homeless.”
“Even though some MLAs and ministers have visited and enquired about the victims` welfare, helping them in their individual capacities, no official help from the government is forthcoming. The DC of Ukhrul and SDO Ukhrul had offered a monetary help of Rs 4500 each to the members of the 14 families affected by the blaze. People are planning to reconstruct their houses but without assistance from the government they can`t rebuild it”, he said, adding that during the recent visits of the MLAs and ministers it was assured that the reconstruction would start under the IAY scheme soon but unfortunately there has been no positive action.
Parliamentary Secretary Victor Keising who is also the vice chairmen of the Hill Area Committee had assured to table the issue in the coming Assembly session. An application was served to the Deputy Chief Minister and Director of Fire Service for opening a sub-fire station near Litan to control any untoward incident related with fire.
Referring that this is the second time that UNMM has come here for providing moral and physical help and this time providing CI sheet to families of the victims, he said, “The DC of Ukhrul with the SDO have given words to compensate the family of Julia, the girl who was killed in the Litan inferno.
Rev Dr Tamthing Ruivanao, chairmen of the Unite NGOs Mission Manipur (UNMM), said that UNMM is presently working on humanitarian law for maintaining awareness and peace in nine districts of the state, adding that the relief camp is out of their network but the awful incident shock UNMM. And on humanitarian grounds we conducted the relief help of 28 bundle of CI sheet to the 14 families. We are not working on the basis of religion or caste but for the people of Manipur.
