State eyes meaningful relief fund from Centre

Aizawl, Sep 25: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga today underlined the need for a meaningful relief fund from the Centre for the calamities that the state had witnessed.

Addressing a high-level meeting, he said Mizoram had been facing two types of natural calamities. One is including Mautam(bamboo flowering) which attracts rodents who damage larges area of rice cultivations and the other is monsoon related calamities.

Central aid was required in case of such devastating natural calamities since the state's relief fund was too meager, he said.

''We have to collect detail reports of the calamities from all the districts to be submitted to the Centre,'' the CM told the meeting.

The meeting was attended by Cabinet ministers, high officials and representatives of farmers' associations.

Disaster management and rehabilitation secretary K Riachho also pointed out that even though as much as Rs 285 lakhs of relief funds had been disbursed by the state government to the victims it was inadequate.

According to official reports received so far, 640 houses were destroyed by landslides and floods and 1014 houses were inundated.

While 3078 hectares of cultivations belonging to 479 families were destroyed, three people, including two kids were killed owing to calamity.

UNI