Flood wreaks havoc, Tripura remains cut off

Agartala, June 16 (UNI) Tripura remained cut off from the rest of the country by rail and road for the fifth day today following rain-fed flood and landslips near Dharmanagar in North district and in the neighbouring states of Assam and Meghalaya triggering widespread apprehension about shortage of essentials.

Food and Civil Supply Minister Gopal Das said the situation had become more critical with washout of a bridge at Sonarpur in Meghalaya and landslides in another 20 spots on the National Highway No 44 in the neighbouring states of Assam and Meghalaya.

He said the state had a stock of essential commodities for one month and hoped that the road and rail links would be fully restored in another 10 days. ''The petrol stock can run upto 18 days, the diesel stock for 20 days and the kerosene for 30 more ays, '' added Mr Das.

He also said the state government was forced to order temporary rationing of these petrol, diesel and kerosene to avoid any crisis.

Mr Das further informed that the work at the LPG bottling plant in Vishalgarh and Mohanpur had been affected due to the non-availability of heavy vehicles for the transportation of the LPG cylinders.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar reviewed the situation and directed the police and the food department officials to intensify vigilence against black marketing and hoardings of essential commodities.

Official sources, however, said the flood situation had improved in the state with respite in rains for the past two days. At least 10 people, including a child, had died in the recent natural calamity caused by heavy rainfall and the subsequent flood.

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