Shillong, June 1: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Kyrmen Shylla handed over Rs 4 lakh each to the families of four landslide victims on Saturday at Nongpriang under Shella-Bholaganj C&RD Block.
The minister met the members of the bereaved families.
Consoling the family members, the minister assured them of government support and assistance.
He said, “The purpose of our visit is to show our sympathy and extend our condolences to the family members. Our team recovered the bodies. Ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each was handed over to the next of kin in support to the family”.
Giving the words of encouragement to the people of the state following the cyclonic disaster, the minister said, that “All should be aware as our state is vulnerable to many hazards. Kindly be alert and be prepared. As community is the first responder to any emergency, hence you should be well-prepared till the government agencies arrived as it may take time to reach to a disaster site especially far-flung villages. We have seen the kind of support extended by the residents of Nongpriang, we would like to see the support & cooperation in other villages as well.”
The minister informed that visits to other places will be done as well and the government will provide assistance as per norms.
Accompanying the minister was local MLA of Sohra Gavin Mylliem.
He thanked the minister for visiting the village and the assistance provided. “This shows that the government is with the people and for the people. We have seen the extent of damage caused where two houses have been totally damaged. We went there to express our deepest condolences to the family.”
Earlier on May 31, a review meeting was convened by Shylla .The meeting was attended by Sanjay Goyal Commissioner & Secretary, M. War Nongbri, Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management department, and other government officials from SDMA.
The focus of the meeting was on detailed review of various aspects of disaster management, particularly in connection with the recent cyclone Remal and its aftermath. Discussions centered around the extensive damages caused by the cyclone, including landslides and heavy rainfall that severely affected all districts of Meghalaya.
Key points addressed during the meeting included the extent of the losses, landslides, damage to houses, road and communication disruption, flooding and others. The specific areas and infrastructure that suffered significant damage, the immediate and ongoing relief efforts being conducted also figured in the meeting.
It underscored the actions taken by various responders including SDMA, SDRF, Deputy Commissioners, the three line departments, the MeECL. These agencies have been instrumental in the relief process, providing timely assistance to those affected and working tirelessly to restore normalcy in the disaster-stricken areas.
The minister was also apprised of the preparedness measures, actions taken by State Emergency Operations Center, Districts, using Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) in dissemination of warnings/alerts, Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) all warning apps of government of India.
He further emphasised the need for continued vigilance and preparedness to mitigate the impacts of such disaster in the future.
