IMPHAL, January 5: More reports of damages of buildings, infrastructures are continuing to pour in from different parts of the state due to Monday’s earthquake that measured 6.8 at the richter scale.
The Tribal Market situated at New Lambulane Imphal East has also suffered heavy damaged creating panic amongst the market vendors.
It has been informed that one of the pillars of the Western sides of the market was heavy damages besides cracks have reportedly appeared various sections of the market sides.
It is learnt that as an immediate measures hectic repairing works is on enforcing steel rods to prevent the pillars and the roof from collapsing.
It may be mentioned that the Tribal Market and Ima Market which have also suffered heavy damage due to the earthquake, was inaugurated the same day by congress president Sonia Gandhi in 2010.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Makhen Village authority has informed that the Village’s Church, community hall and four houses have been badly damaged by the earthquake.
He further informed that both the front and back walls of the community hall and office have been collapsed besides destroying computers set of the village authority.
With the Church being damaged the villagers have no place for worship as many fear to attend the Church due to its fragile condition, said the Village chairman.
The damaged houses belong to Ad Kailamdin, son of (L) Katanlinang, Chief of the village, Ml Kariukhenliu, wife of (L) Awang, Ch Kailamsuangbou, son of (L) Asong and Th Namriliang, son of (L) lunghibui.
He appealed the authority concerned to look into the matters in the interest of the panic gripped villagers.
The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRAM) also reported that some of tunnels of Trans Asian Railway in Tamenglong caved in while towers of World Bank funded High voltage transmission also suffered damaged.
In a statement the CRAM has said that the inability for these mega development structures to withstand the Seismic activity on January 4 at 6.8 Richter scale indicates the seismic aspects and impacts, especially in Manipur which is juxtaposed in high and active seismic zone, within the fold of Himalayan Mountain range, has either not been considered or disregarded. Besides that there was additional issue of low quality of works and aspects of fraud and corruption of the constructions work by corporate bodies involved in the work, it continued.
It maintained that the epicentre of the tremor in Tamenglong district should be an occasion for due consideration and sensitivity to the repeated assertions from academicians, the technicians, civil society organisations, that Manipur’s proximity and location in very high seismic zone 5, requires a cautious and inevitable consideration of seismic aspects and impacts in all development planning and processes.
Against this backdrop, the proposed plans for building Tipaimukh Dam, Pabran and Irang hydel projects and other mega projects like Oil exploration need serious introspection for their feasibility and rationality in place like Manipur, it said.
This natural calamity should also led to a development decision based on rightful participation of all indigenous communities and all those concerned with a just and sustainable development in Manipur, said the CRAM.