IMPHAL, July 4 - Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal today arrived here on a two-day visit to take stock of the damage caused by the recent flood in the State.
Meghwal, accompanied by State Water Resources Minister Letpao Haokip, Commissioner H Deleep, Chief Engineer Pritam and other top officials of the department, visited the flood-affected areas.
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Karam Shyam, who is the local MLA of Langthabal where many houses were damaged in the flood, was also present when the Union minister visited Lilong Chajing Thongkhong, Chajing Mairenkhong and Chajing Karam.
Later, talking to reporters, Meghwal said his visit was as per the Prime Minister�s instruction to Union ministers to tour the North Eastern States on a regular basis on the one hand and convey reports of flood damage to the Centre on the other.
The minister assured that the Central Ministry would look into the matter seriously and provide necessary funds to restore normalcy post flood. He added that his visit is aimed at arriving at a long-term policy and arrangement to prevent flood in future.
The visiting minister had a brief interaction with flood-hit people whose houses were swept away. Meghwal will visit the Dolaithabi Barrage Project and the Thoubal Multipurpose Project before leaving Imphal.
Meanwhile, State Water Resource Minister Letpao Haokip said that he would request the Centre for a special flood package. Besides, he will also call for the release of the pending Rs 111 crore for the Thoubal dam and Rs 25 crore for the Dolaithabi project.
