Workshop on Natural Disaster Management held Marangching tragedy recalled

By Our Staff Reporter
Imphal, Sep 6 : The Manipur Remote Sensing Application Centre (MARSAC) conducted a one day workshop on “GIS Technology Vision on State Natural Disaster Management” at Hotel Imphal, North AOC, today.
The inaugural function of the workshop was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Planning) V Vumlunmang, Directors of Planning Department N Kulkarani and Relief and Disaster Management KG Daigong as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
In his speech, Vumlunmang said that Manipur is prone to natural calamities such as earthquakes and landslides as it sits atop an active tectonic plate.
Claiming that the landslide which occurred on the intervening night of June  29 and 30 at Noney was one of the deadliest calamities by death toll in Manipur, the Additional Chief Secretary continued that the people and experts should take such a workshop seriously to stay safe during a natural disaster.  
MARSAC had published three reports on flood, mudslide and earthquake hazards a few years back, he said and appealed to the officials concerned to  re-analyse the findings of the reports and incorporate more information, if needed.
The Additional Chief Secretary urged the experts to review the subject of the workshop with the people so as to make it more productive.
Relief and Disaster Management  Director KG Daigong said that everyone is aware of the changing climatic conditions in Manipur which affect all lives and activities greatly.
Saying that arrival of monsoon earlier in Manipur this year affected farm activities at hill districts, Daigong added that many paddy fields in valley areas are also in drought-like situation currently.
He opined the need to give accurate weather forecasts to farmers to manage and ensure profitable crop production by all departments concerned and chalk  out a proper strategy to prevent deadly landslides in future.
"We must be prepared to prevent a Marangching like incident which claimed many lives as the railway project in Manipur is nearing completion," he added.