AIZAWL:
Almost a year after violent clashes broke out at the border of Assam and Mizoram, the Mizos, in a show of goodwill and solidarity towards their neighbours, dispatched truckloads of portable water for flood-hit residents of Cachar district of Assam, who have been facing acute shortage of drinking water.
The truckloads of mineral water, donated by members of Young Mizo Association (YMA) in Aizawl, were flagged off by central YMA president R Lalngheta from City Park, Aizawl at 1:30 pm, on June 26.
“On learning the scarcity of drinking water faced by residents of Silchar, we called an emergent meeting last night and decided to send bottled water. We requested several (YMA) branches within the city to donate. Within a very short time, we managed to collect some quantity of water. I thank all the branches for their generosity,” Lalngheta said.
“Considering the population of Silchar hit by floods, three truckloads of water are too little. It is a friendly gesture. We may also send more drinking water if we receive more donations,” he said.
Three trucks, six medium vehicles carrying portable water and 11 light vehicles carrying central YMA leaders and members left Aizawl on Sunday afternoon. The consignment will be handed over to Cachar DC, the members of the association said.
Silchar, the gateway to Assam’s Barak Valley, Tripura and Mizoram, is in the grip of severe floods, said to be the worst in 70 years, since last week.
Earlier, Mizoram government had sent a police team to rescue Mizo residents stranded in Silchar floods.
Mizoram and its neighbour Cachar district have occasional quarrelled over a piece of land, which sometimes led to a violent clash. In July last year, the conflict had escalated into a gun fight between the police forces from both sides, resulting in the death of six policemen.
“We might have quarreled over the border. But it should be the nature of human to let humanity triumph over any sort of quarrel or enmity. What we are doing is nothing, but it is a show of care to our neighbours,” another YMA leader said.