Manipur landslide search operations called off; five still missing

He, however, added that individual efforts to retrieve missing properties, machinery, etc. could still be carried on by any organisation or agency.

Singh said out of the 61 missing bodies, 56 bodies have been recovered in the search in the rescue operations conducted for over 20 days.

The Chief Minister said that a total of 79 persons were affected, adding 18 injured were rescued alive and evacuated to the hospitals.

Singh also assured that his government would initiate all necessary steps for the deceased and the injured.

Meanwhile, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Northeast Frontier Railways, Noney District Administration and Makhuam Village Authority at the Chief Minister’s secretariat.

As per the MoU signed in the presence of the Chief Minister, Relief and Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai and Hill Area Committee chairman Diganglung Gangmei, the railways would until permanent employment is provided to the next of kin of the deceased ensure providing contractual employment in one of its construction agencies near the site besides the railways with Noney/Kangpokpi district administration and the village authority shall jointly survey and assess the extent of the damage done. This would be submitted to the railways for compensation.

The other points of the MoU included that the railways would hold extensive discussions with IIT Guwahati, Manipur University and other like-minded institutions to have a detailed investigation for working out how the hill slopes adjacent to the railways boundaries in the Jiribam-Imphal project can better be monitored so that early warning can be given for any future untoward event.

The Environment Impact assessment (EIA) and the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) shall be revisited in the light of this landslide, it said.

The railways also agreed to provide for the funeral expenses that may be incurred in the customary rites of burial and cleansing by the Makhuam village authority.

In addition, the three children orphaned by the landslide shall be provided educational fees. This shall be deposited in their respective bank accounts so that their education may continue uninterrupted till graduation and the children shall also be put up in the Rengpang Residential School first.

Over 700 personnel from various organisations were engaged in the search and rescue operations with more than 43 machines.