Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 17:
Stepping up the task of providing relief materials to the flood affected people, State Government has distributed rice and kerosene oil at nominal rate to the flood victims of Imphal East and West districts today even as Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh took serious note of the alleged inefficiency of Imphal West DC Y Surchandra in dealing with the situation when he visited the FCS Godown at Sangaiprou to ship the rice for distribution to the people.
The rice and the kerosene oil were distributed in the flood affected areas of Imphal East and West including Uripok, Keishamthong, Sagolband and Konthoujam.
The quality of the rice distributed was Grade-I and it was made available to the people at the BPL rate fixed by the Government.
The Chief Minister along with his Cabinet colleagues including PHE Minister K Govindas, Agriculture Minister K Ranjit and other officials like Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary, besides top police officials visited the FCS Godown at Sangaiprqu this morning.
FCS Minister Ph Parijat and MoS for FCS M Nabadwip were, however, conspicuous by their absence from among the Chief Minister's entourage.
As Chief Minister's entourage arrived at the Godown, they were appalled to find none of the responsible officers present there nor having made any arrangement for transportation of the rice.
A fuming Chief Minister considered this as a serious breach of conduct on the part of the DC of Imphal West in discharging his duty and wondered what would have happened if he himself had not come to inspect the functioning of the godown today.
Talking to reporters, Chief Minister informed that the DC concerned was already instructed yesterday for making necessary arrangement for distribution of rice and other essential food items to the flood affected people and questioned why the DC had not contacted the other officials and made the necessary arrangement.
It is only when, the Chief Minister requested the president of Manipur Trucks Owners' Welfare Association, the arrangement for transportation of the rice from the Godown was made possible and later distributed to the flood victims at the nominal rate fixed by the Government.
Chief Minister also informed that he had already written to the Election Commission for allowing distribution of rice and other essential food items to all the flood affected people of the State.
Replying to a question, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said that advance message had been despatched to all the DCs concerned for submitting reports on the possibility of holding the Lok Sabha election as per schedule in remote and far flung areas of the State which would be difficult for the polling personnel to reach in view of the inclement weather condition.
However, from the side of the Government, it would prefer holding the elections as per the scheduled announced by the Election Commission, he hastened to add.
PHE Minister K Govindas, who also spoke to the reporters said that his department has already started providing safe drinking water to the flood affected people of the capiatl city by sending water tankers to these areas since yesterday.
The arrangement would be made for supplying safe drinking water to the people round the clock.