[ Prafulla Kaman ]
RUKSIN, 5 Jul: Flash flood caused by a cloudburst wreaked havoc in Ledum village and downstream Niglok and Linka villages of Pasighat West area in East Siang district on 28 June, leaving several farm families affected and their lives in turmoil. The flood also washed away standing crops, livestock and household properties in Adi Leku village bordering Assam.
The strong currents of the Ledum river submerged and devastated fishponds, animal farms and horticulture gardens on its left bank, causing heavy losses to the farmers of Ledum and Linka villages.
The flash flood washed away the entire farming site of one Olik Tapok Taloh of Ledum, leaving her in despair as she has lost a large number reared animals and birds and vegetable garden and orchards, while 11 well-equipped fishponds full of varieties of fishes were destroyed by the flood wave.
The flash flood also severely damaged structures of the mega water supply project in Ledum, disrupting drinking water supply to the entire Pasighat West (Ruksin) area till date.
To mitigate the post-flood water crisis in the Pasighat West area, local MLA Ninong Ering has sanctioned Rs 7 lakh under his LAD fund. He has instructed water resource engineers to repair pipelines connected with the mega project. However, it is reported that it would take a few weeks for complete renovation of the damaged water tank (storage) of the project.
Floodwaters also blocked and diverted the natural water supply lines connected to crop fields and consequently, water supply to wet cultivation sites in Ledum and Mirem villages are adversely affected.
Officials of the Water Resource Department’sPasighat Division informed that their men and machines have been deployed in the affected sites and water supply to human habitations as well as cultivation sites of the Pasighat West area would be restored within the next few days.
