Manipur deputy CM assures all help to quake affected

Manipur's Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam on Saturday visited Tamenglong district, where the epicentre of the January 4 earthquake was located, and distributed relief material to the quake-affected people.

Over 300 people are currently staying in relief camps in the district.

For the first time on the part of the state government, Gaikhangam on Saturday distributed over Rs.3 lakh in cash for the rehabilitation of the people, and also blankets and other relief material.

"The state government shall extend all possible assistance to the victims. If the relief measures are beyond the financial capacity of the state, then we will approach the union government. There is no difference on issues concerning rehabilitation," said Gaikhangam, who is also the state Congress president.

The minister, district collector M. Luikham and other officials visited the families.

Geologists from Delhi University, who visited the district on Saturday, said that after an earthquake it was natural for springs to emerge and for mild movements in the earth.

Based on the findings of experts, Gaikhangam said there is no dirty water spring polluting nearby water holes.

The experts said that in the eventuality of another tremor, people should move to higher ground which has less chance of caving in.

Meanwhile, a BJP team led by Prahlad Singh Patel, the party's national secretary in charge of the northeast, visited Noney and nearby areas, and interacted with the people.

BJP leaders have said the Manipur government has not doled out enough relief material.

"The BJP has been doing everything possible for the affected people," legislator Thongam Bisajit said.

The government, meanwhile, asked owners of high-rise buildings in Imphal town to furnish information about their structures.

In the January 4 earthquake, two market complexes and several high-rise buildings in the town were damaged. Reports said the construction was of inferior quality.