Correspondent
PASIGHAT, 11 Jul: Rajya Sabha Member Tai Tagak on Saturday visited flood-hit areas in East Siang and Lower Siang districts, and assessed the losses caused by the recent flash floods and erosions.
Tagak, accompanied by Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering, Nari-Koyu MLA Tojir Kadu, PRI leaders and government officials, visited Mirem, Bilat, Ledum and Korang villages in East Siang and Tene in Lower Siang district and assured the villagers that he would take up their problems with the state and central governments.
The MP and his entourage also visited the RCC bridge over Rema Korong (river) that was damaged by flash floods.
On their return from Tene and Korang, the team visited the Sille river bridge and Bokrang Colony in Ledum village, where flash floods eroded the Pasighat-Ledum-Tene PWD road and damaged several houses.
They also inspected flood protection works along the Peneng river to review its progress.
During the visit, ZPMs and gram chairpersons told the MP that overflowing water of the Sille river and other streams washed away roads and bridges, culverts, water supply pipelines, and standing crops, besides damaging several fishponds, farms, horticulture gardens and other public infrastructures, causing heavy losses to villagers.
MLA Ering requested Tagak to take necessary initiatives for early sanctioning of FDR schemes to compensate for disaster damages and renovation of public infrastructures.
Tagak is scheduled to visit flood-hit sites in the Bogong Banggo and Bosing Banggo areas of Pasighat on Sunday.
On 9 July, a six-member inter-ministerial central team visited the flood-ravaged areas in Ledum, Bilat, and Korang villages in East Siang district.
The central government officials, led by Home Ministry’s Joint Secretary (IS-II) Nishtha Tiwari, heard the grievances of the affected families and assured them of adequate relief and rehabilitation measures through central assistance.
Prior to the central team’s visit, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijuju and Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Sing Chouhan took stock of the disaster damages caused by the recent flash floods.
ZPM assesses flood damages
Our correspondent Karda Natam adds: Nilling Circle ZPM Sumila Ekke Nilling, accompanied by PRI leaders, including gram panchayat chairpersons, gram panchayat members, former ZPM Takam Rikung, and senior members of the circle, on Saturday visited the flood-affected Nio Koro (nallah) to assess the damages caused by the devastating cloudburst that struck the area in Upper Subansiri district on 21 May.
During the inspection, the panchayat leaders stated that the cloudburst triggered a massive flash flood in Nio Koro, washing away the cement concrete (CC) bridge, destroying horticultural and agricultural fields, damaging fish ponds, and killing several domestic animals.
The disaster also disrupted connectivity, leaving more than 3,500 people from at least 10 villages severely affected and cut off from essential services and modern amenities.
Former ZPM and senior citizen Takam Rikung expressed concern over what he described as the government’s “delayed response.” He said that, despite nearly three months having passed since the disaster, no immediate relief or restoration measures has reached the affected villagers.
He further stated that, while district administrations and elected representatives in many other districts have visited flood-hit areas to assess damages and reassure the affected residents, no such visit has been made to Nio Koro.
According to him, the lack of official attention has left the people disappointed and disheartened. He questioned why the affected area has not received adequate government attention despite the scale of the devastation.
ZPM Nilling said the destruction of the bridge has caused immense hardship for villagers, who are struggling to transport essential commodities across the flooded stream. She informed that local residents have constructed a temporary bamboo and wooden footbridge to carry food and other necessities by head load, but the arrangement remains unsafe and inadequate.
She added that the matter has already been brought to the notice of the local MLA and the state government, and the people are awaiting prompt intervention, restoration of connectivity, and necessary relief measures.
Meanwhile, villagers expressed disappointment over the delay in government action and appealed to the authorities to immediately restore the washed-away bridge, provide compensation to the affected families, and take up long-term flood mitigation measures to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the people of Nilling circle.
