BEHIANG MISHAP:TRUCK ACCIDENT ON 17 JAN

Sub-standard material found in bridge construction, toll rises to 23 Minister vague on fixing responsibilities

Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, Jan 18: A day after twenty people were killed in a tragic road mishap over Ngasuan stream near S Sehken village, Works Minister K Ranjit merely accepted moral responsibility over the incident even after conducting a first hand inspection of the situation that led to the tragedy.



On the other hand the death toll in the tragic road accident has risen to 23 with three more succumbing to their injuries today.

Of the 28 people undergoing treatment, two of them are still in critical conditions, said sources.

The district Deputy Commissioner, Sumant Singh said that the Government is providing free treatment and medicines to the injured and added that three pharmacies have been engaged to provide the needed drugs.



NIPCO has condoled the death of the passengers and also shared the grief and pain of the bereaved family members.

A team of media representatives which went to the spot today established that substandard, hollow and soft wood were used in constructing the bridge that collapsed at around afternoon yesterday.

While inspecting the shattered portion of the bridge, the team saw that the material used in the construction of the bridge were below par, not fit even for making household items and structures, let alone, a bridge over a main road. So dismal is the quality of the wood that it could be torn apart with the naked hand and can be ground into dust by just stepping over it with the foot.



Talking to this correspondent today at Sehken village, Paukhanmang a survival said that it was about 12 noon when their truck carrying about 180 bags of charcoal and another hundred passenger passed over the rickety bridge. “As the rear wheel touched the bridge, the wooden planks that held the right wheel caved in throwing the entire truck out of balance and plunging it head on into the river” he said.

“I along with two others could manage to jump off, but the rest were thrown into the river bed. There was an errie silence all over and I didn’t hear even a moan of pain or cry,” he said recollecting his nightmarish experience.

“When atlast I dared to look around, I could see two people standing not far from me. Shocked and shaken, I along with one of them ran bare foot to Sehken and it neighbouring village shouting for help,” he said further.

The lucky survivor further said that he reached his village T Behiang within minutes and immediately fixed a PA system to alert the people who were in the jungle and jhum fields and its neighbouring villages.

Of the two persons he saw after he recovered his composure, one man was left behind as his wife who was thrown into the river had already died, he said and identified him as Vungzalian of Tonjang.
A young couple with five children was among the twenty victims who were killed yesterday.

The media team witnessed a poignant and heart rendeing moment at Sehken village as a class seven standard young boy attended to his three young siblings at the funeral of his parents. The eldest of them was among the injured and was admitted at the hospital.

When asked, K Ranjit who is conducting a spot inquiry after 24 hours of the incident merely said, ‘I’ll take necessary actions against any one responsible, be it the contractor or the official.”

Initially the visiting Minister who claimed that he was entrusted by the Chief Minister to do the needful, hesitated to comment much on the incident but when the media pointed out that sub-standard material were used and that it is the duty of the Government to ensure that no sub-standard material is used, the Minister ultimately come forward with his pledge.

The Works Minister also expressed without reservation his disappointment over the construction that officials had earlier claimed was in progress but which was actually left unattended.

“How can I be happy with this kind of work,” he said when asked to comment on the road that is constructed with an estimate cost of Rs 2 crore. The visiting official and the media team had a heated exchange of words when an official identified as Birendra, SE who was accompanying the Minister insisted that the construction work on Singngat to Likhai is in progress. The official was however silenced when questioned where the workers were. The rip-off stones that laid the road were also pointed out to the official.

On what steps and actions have been taken by the Government against any official who were responsible for using sub-standard material, the Works Minister merely said “My dear, don’t worry, I’ll take necessary action.”

Besides the Works Minister, three other Cabinet Ministers also visited the injured today and handed over a monetary relief of Rs 10,000 each to the kins of the deceased and Rs 5000, Rs 3000 and Rs 2000 each to the injured depending on their conditions.

Despite the magnitude of the tragedy and the obvious apathy of the Govern- ment, no commendable relief package or fitting action has been initiated as of today.

The monetary relief dolled out by the Ministers today were merely a package announced to the mourning crowd last night by the district administration. The State Government is yet to announce it package, if any.

| The Sangai Express |


Media Team leh Works Minister in truck tuahsiatna lei enkhiaLei bawlna toh kisai a official kigolhte suspend hiding – Works Minister

Lamka, Jan 18: Indo-Myanmar kikawmtuahna lampi poimohte lak a khat Tedim Road a zansun dak 11:30-12:00 vel a Passenger leh Van pua Truck(MN05 2780) tuahsiatna toh kisai in tuni’n Lamka khopi pansan thuthaksaite’n sunnung dak 1:30 vel in amun etkhiatna vanei uhi. Passenger 100 vel leh Meihol Bag 170 vel pua truck bel Singngat leh Behiang kikal a Singngat apan 18 km. vel a gamla Tedim Road a Ngasuon Lui tung a sing lei kibawl tung a atailai a lei singpek (wooden planks) kitan/chip ziak a tuahsiatna tuak ahi.

Hiai tuahsiat tuak truck a tuang bangmahchilou a suakta Mr. Paukhanmung of Behiang (T) in tuni a S. Sehken khua a thuthaksaite kiang a agendan in zan sun dak 11:30-12:00 kikal vel in Behiang pan Lamka manoh a tuahsiat tuak truck in Ngasuon lui tung a singlei kidoh a zuih lai in a Driver tuannalam nunglampei zuihna mun kichim in truck luikhuk feet 20 vel a sang ah kilep khesuk in Driver tuanna lam tungnung in luikhuuk sung ah siiktuk hi.

Hiai tuahsiatna suaktate’n a kiang nai a khua S. Sehken ah tailut in panpihna ngen in kikou in khosung a mi omteng punkhawm ua, huiabanah paungaihna (PA System/mike) zang in kho kiim naite samkhawm in mipin tuahsiatna mun kidelh huan in tuahsia tuakte panpih theihdan chiat in panpihna pia uhi. Huaibanah Bualkot a om 9 AR te’n leng accident a theihphet un kintak a delh in liamte first aid pia uhi.

Hiai truck tuahsiatna lei kisia bel hunsawtkuamtak zattheihlouh a om bialtu MLA T. Hangkhanpau in L. Kanan khohausa hiai tuahsiatna a sihna tuak Mr.(L). Liankhohau tungtawn a abawl hi a kumpaisa September kha vela pan zatpat a om ahi. Hiai Lei bawlna dia singpeek/wooden planks kizangte sing hoihlou/thawp (Paang,Khaupi kung etc.) ngen hi a, singpeekte khut in kheuhkhiattheih hial hi.

Hiai tuahsiatna mun tuni sunnung dak 2:40 vel in Works Minister K. Ranjit, Manipur Pollution Control Board Chairman Mr. Dijamani Singh tel in Official khenkhat in etkhiatna nei uhi. Hiai hun ah thuthaksaite dotna adawnna ah Works Minister K. Ranjit Singh in hiai tuahsiatna tuntu lei kibawlna toh kisai a kigolhkha official-te tung ah a kituahpih action lak hiding ahihdan gen hi. Singngat leh Likhai kikal ACA 2006-2007 tungtawn a Rs.2.5 Crores abawl pen tutan zoh ahihlouh toh kisai dotna adawnna ah hiai nasep pen pailel ahihdan gen in Singngat leh Behiang kikal bawlna dia Rs. 6 crores sehkhiat thak a om ahihdan gen in tutung tuahsiatna a si-le-liamte zangnadopna piak ding toh kisai in Chief Minister kiang a natun ding ahihdan gen hi.

Minister 4 leh MLA 1 in Lamka damdawi inn ah accident-te a liamte vehSi leh liamte panpihna ding ZYA khut ah Power Minister in pekhia
Lamka, Jan 18: Singngat Sub. Div. sung Sialsih leh Hiangtam kikal a Ngasuonlui tung a Singlei kidoh (Wooden Bridge) tung a Passenger pua Truck tuahsiat ziak a liamte a mun mahmah a en ding in tuni’n Power Minister Pu T. Phungzathang makaih in Minister 4 in Lamka hong pha uhi. Hiai hun a Power Minister hong kithuahpih Minister dangte bel, Works Minister Pu K. Ranjit Singh, IFCD Minister Pu N. Biren Singh, N. Loken Singh, leh Dijamani Singh, MLA, Chairman, Pollution Control Board te hi uhi.

Hiai hun ah Govt. apan huhna (Ex- Gratia leh relief) pia ua, Pu T. Phungzathang, Minister in amah pocket apan in accident a liam mi 32 te kiang ah Rs.1000/- zel in veh a, misi 23 galna ding in ZYA (Hq) tungtawn in Rs.2000/- zel apiak ding sum pia hi. DC/CCpur panlakna in State Govt apan huhna accident a liam gim diak (Serious) mi 15 te kiang ah Rs.5000/- chiat leh a gimlou deuh mi 18 te kiang ah Rs.2000/- zel Minister ten pesawn uhi. Misi 23 inn kuan te a ding in Ex-gratia Rs.10000/- zel pia ua, Ex. MLA Pu Thangso Baite inleng accident a liamte Rs. 200/- zel pia hi.

Truck neitu Khamsuan in leng damloute poimohna azat ding in Donation Counter ah Rs.5000/- va pia hi. M.Ginsuanhau Special Contractor inleng misi galna ding in Rs.500/- zel leh a liamte a ding in Rs.200/- zel ZYA (Hq) khut ah pia hi. Brig. BC Sharmah, Commander 27 Sector Assam Rifle inleng damloute veh in nektheih tuamtuam packet 40 a kitun hawm hi. Aman tuni tak inleng Army Generator khat zang sak in meivak tengteng mawh pua uh ahih dan gen hi. Tuni’n accident a liam naupang 2 lut beh nawn in huai toh gawm in damlou 34 phata hi. Shushil Kumar IPS DIG (R-II) inleng Hospital a liamte hong enkhia hi.

Zan nitak in accident a liam sisan piak ding poimoh kin om ziakin 140Bn BSF a AC 2 Anil Kumar leh PC Roy ten sisan piak ban uah 3-NH Assam Rifle Bn. ten leng sisan pia uhi. Lamka khawpi sung a Philanthropic Organisation tuamtuam inleng panpihna sum Hospital a donation Counter ah pia uhi.

Dr. Tonsana Sharma in Damloute veh

Lamka, Jan 18: Additional Chief Engineer Dr. Tonsana Sharma makaih in PWD/CCpur Division staff-te toh Behiang leh Singngat kikal a Ngasuan lei kitan a liamte tuni sun dak 12 in vehna nei uhi.

Dr. Tonsana Sharma in damloute a vehna ah, a gimdeuh mi 4te kihawm ding in Rs. 20,000/- pia a, a gimlouzaw deuhte kihawm ding in Rs. 10,000/- pia hi. Hiai hun ah Dr. Tonsana Sharma in a genna ah, damloute Pathian vualzawlna tang a a hong damkhiak pah uh a deihsak thu gen hi.

Dr. Tonsana Sharma bel, gam tuamtuam 2/3 a degree sangtak nei, PWD, Manipur a dia suanhuaipen ahihbanah, tu kha tawp apan in Chief Engineer hihna lenta ding hi. Amah hi CCpur mi ngaina mahmahte lak a khat leng hi’n thutut kingah hi.

Parade rehearsal nei ding

Lamka, Jan 18: Lamka Public Ground ah Jan.26, 2008 ni a Indian republic day zatna ding ah Parade contingent 20 val tel ding ua, tuate lak ah School 9 tel ding uhi. Parade contingent a tel dingte rehearsal Jan.22 & 23, 2008 zingkal dak 7:00 in Lamka Public Ground ah om ding hi.

Naupang 33460 in Polio damdawi dawn

Lamka, Jan 18: Dist. Family Welfare Office CCpur saina a Jan.6, 2008 ni a IPPI Ist round om ah naupang 33234 in Polio dawn ding ua gintak himahleh naupang 33460 in dawn ua, target uh 226 in kheng uhi.

Misi 19 te Police leh Doctor-ten Postmortem bawl

Lamka, Jan 18: Tedim Road Singngat leh Behiang kikal a Ngasuan lei kichim a site zan in mi 23 pha chih himahleh, police leh doctor-te’n tuni a postmortem a bawlna ua pan misi zah diktak theihkhik theih in om pan hi. Hiai a si bel mi 19 hi ua, amaute bel Vungkhogin (60)s/o Kaplang of behiang (V), Liankhohau (58) s/o Khamchinhau Chief of L. Kanan, Chiinngaihlun (35) w/o Kapzakhai of L.Kanan, Nanghulian (14) s/o Mangjakap of Tonjang, Khaiminlian (13) s/o P.Sianzadong of Tonjang, Chinsianniang (21) s/o Vungjalian of Tonjang, Niangngaihching (32) w/o Thanglian of Behiang, Chingluahvung (4m) d/o Thanglian of Behiang, Chingkhanngai (20) d/o Daisianthang of Behiang, Donkhanman (50) w/o L. Khupkhotuan of Behiang, Ginsuanmang (35) s/o Lunkhankap of Behiang, Thanglunlal (14) s/o Ginsuanthang of Behiang (H), Chingkang (36) w/o Ginsuanthang of Behiang (H), Chingkhanngaih (40) d/o (L) Khanchin of Behiang (H), Khaiminthang (50) s/o Doukap of S.Sehken, Mandeiching (45) w/o (L) Khamminthang of S.Sehken, Lunchin (66) w/o (L) Chinkhanthang of Muallum, Kapminthang (12) s/o Tunsuanhang of Zomi Colony, Khaisuanniang (54) w/o Suankhothong of Zomi Colony te hi uhi.

Hiai misite bel, postmortem bawl ahihkhit in a vuina ding khua chiat uah puakkhiak in omta uhi.

Lamka Post | January 19, 2008 www.zogam.com

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