Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday flagged off vehicles carrying relief assistance and personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Manipur for flood victims of Assam from Kangla here.
The relief materials were prepared by the Department of Relief & Disaster Management, Government of Manipur. Biren expressed solidarity with the people of Assam who were affected by the flood. The flood-affected around 22 lakh people residing in 28 districts.
He said around 2 lakh people had been displaced due to the flood and taking shelter in 680 relief camps. Out of them, more than a lakh people had been residing in 230 camps in the worst affected district of Cachar.
As the neighbouring State Assam is badly affected by the flood, the State Government is extending possible assistance towards the flood-affected people as a humanitarian service, he stated.
Quoting the proverb “A friend in need is a friend indeed”, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of extending at least some possible assistance to Assam, as a friend, during their time of hardship.
Biren informed that the relief materials included 3 trucks carrying 135 quintals of rice, 102 bags of dal, 120 bags of salt and 120 boxes of mustard oil. Along with the relief materials, 40 personnel of SDRF would be deputed to help in search and rescue operations.
He further said that the deputed SDRF personnel and relief materials would report to the Lakhimpur District of Assam.
He said many Manipuri people living in Assam were also facing many problems like a shortage of food and drinking water due to floods. A Non-Government team consisting of volunteers from Meitei Leepun and the Chief Minister’s Martial Arts group would also be sent to areas of Silchar, Hojai and Lumding, which are largely inhabited by Manipuri, to provide support and relief assistance.
Encouraging the deputed SDRF team to provide all possible humanitarian services to the flood-affected people of Assam, he extended his best wishes to the team and prayed for a safe rescue operation in flood-affected areas.
