NEW DELHI, Jan 4 - Within hours of receipt of information, the Centre geared up its acts with Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha chairing the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting to assess the situation and provide all necessary help from the Government of India after the Manipur earthquake.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is coordinating with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the State governments, Ministry of Defence, NDRF, Ministry of Telecom and other concerned Government departments and agencies for search, rescue and relief. Relief commissioners of all the States in the North East, besides West Bengal are being contacted, said official sources.
The crisis management meeting was attended by Secretary (Power), Secretary (Telecom), Member, NDMA and DG (Indian Meteorological Department). The representatives of the Ministries of Home and Defence also participated in the meeting. The Chief Secretary of Manipur participated through video link, said sources.
Two NDRF teams of 45 members each have been air lifted from Guwahati to Imphal. Communication systems are functioning, particularly BSNL. The NDRF team has been instructed to move from Guwahati to the areas affected by the earthquake, sources said.
In addition, one team has been rushed to Silchar. The Power Secretary has been directed to send a team of engineers from the Power Grid Corporation to Imphal to assist the State Government in restoration of power. Secretary, Health and Family Welfare will send a special team of doctors from Delhi, including orthopaedics to Imphal today. The State Government has been assured of all necessary help for quick rescue, relief and restoration work, said sources.
NDMA is working in close coordination and guidance of the Prime Minister�s Office (PMO), which is continuously monitoring the situation in the North East after the earthquake, informed sources.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he spoke to Rajnath Singh, who is in Assam, on the situation arising due to the earthquake and asked him to oversee the situation.
He also called up Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. �We discussed the post-earthquake situation in Manipur and the North East,� he tweeted.
Modi also called up Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on the situation arising in the wake of the earthquake, the Prime Minister tweeted.
Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Home Minister and MoS Home, Kiren Rijiju who were in the North East were told to assess the situation there. He also tweeted that the Prime Minister discussed the Pathankot attack and North East quake at the National Security Council meet.
Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed distress at the reported deaths and destruction caused by the earthquake in the North Eastern States. The Congress party has asked its chief ministers in the region to ensure immediate relief and rescue operations, besides asking the party�s units and frontal organisations to aid in relief works.
Vice President of India M Hamid Ansari condoled the loss of life and property due to the earthquake in North East India. In a message, Ansari said every effort should be made to render all possible aid to the injured and the bereaved families.
�I am saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life and property caused by the earthquake which has struck North East India today. Relief and rescue operations are presently way under and every effort should be made to render all possible aid to the injured and the bereaved families. Our prayers and thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the dreadful disaster,� he said.
