SENAPATI: Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, Senapati Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar, IAS, Adahrii Maheo, MCS, DC and SDO Paomata M. Sheveine, MCS along with their team on Saturday visited flood-affected Laii village along the Ngaorei/Laini River to assess the extent of damage caused by incessant rainfall and flash floods.
The visit came days, after the Laii Village Authority Council issued a press statement on August 5, highlighting the severe damage to newly planted paddy fields and the village’s only bridge connecting Laii with Kharasom village in Ukhrul district.
During the visit, Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho took a detailed on-ground assessment of the affected areas, interacting extensively with villagers and local leaders. He expressed concern over the scale of destruction and assured that the state government would take up the matter on a priority basis. Dikho emphasized the need for immediate relief measures as well as long-term infrastructure solutions to prevent recurring flood-related disruptions in the region.
As immediate relief, 40 bags of rice were distributed by the Deputy Commissioner of Senapati.
According to the villagers, Laii has more than 900 households, of which almost 500 families have been directly affected by the flood. More than 300 acres of agricultural land, including paddy fields, have been damaged, leaving the farming community facing significant losses.
The villagers said the flood has severely affected their livelihood, with large portions of newly planted paddy fields submerged by the overflowing Ngaorei/Laini River.
The Laini bridge, which serves as a vital link between Laii and Kharasom, has also sustained damage and has been completely cut off due to the strong river current, further disrupting connectivity.
Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh has also sent 50 bags of rice for distribution among the affected families.
The Deputy Commissioner assured the villagers that immediate action would be taken following an assessment of the damage and that necessary measures would be initiated to address the situation.
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The Laii Village Authority had earlier stated that approximately 80,000–90,000 tins of newly planted paddy fields were submerged and destroyed by the flash flood, putting the year’s harvest at serious risk.
The village authority had also appealed to the government for immediate assessment and compensation for affected farmers, repair of the damaged Laini bridge, and construction of a hanging bridge between Chingjaroi, Lower Phaibung and Laii Village, noting that there is no hanging bridge along an approximately 50-km stretch between the areas.
The villagers have urged the authorities to treat the situation as an urgent livelihood and connectivity issue, particularly as farming remains the primary source of sustenance for a large section of the village population.
