Yet again the monsoon have taken heavy toil with the death of five labourers who were buried alive when a 15 feet retaining wall of an under construction building collapsed on Sunday morning at Donyi Colony, Itanagar. The wall reportedly collapsed due to incessant rainfall over the last few days. This is the first major tragedy to strike this monsoon. Every year several deaths related to monsoon are reported from various parts of the state. Most of these deaths take place due to mudslide, flood and collapse of the building structures.
It seems nobody including authorities and public are learning any lesson from the tragedy that hits the state every year. The construction of houses near hillocks and streams is rampant especially in the capital region. People invite trouble by constructing houses in the flood and landslide prone areas. Also most of the houses are constructed without any proper plan which only adds to the danger. On their part the district administration miserably fails to check such kind of illegal construction. They only issues notices in local dailies warning people to remain alert during monsoon. Their responsibilities do not end with it. Infact the district administration should regularly carry out awareness campaign in various colonies and sectors to educate the citizens about natural and manmade disasters. Strong action should be initiated against those who violate the order of DA. Unless tough measures are adopted tragedies like the one witnessed at Donyi colony will continue to strike state every year.