SHILLONG : Umroi MLA Damanbait Lamare on Saturday strongly criticised officials of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), accusing them of negligence that allegedly led to the tragic electrocution deaths of three children at Umtangling village in Ri-Bhoi district.
Lamare visited the bereaved family to express his condolences over the heartbreaking loss of the three children. Following the visit, he, accompanied by former MDC Rangkynsai Kharbuki, met MeECL officials at Umiam to discuss the incident and seek accountability.
During the meeting, the MLA alleged that the tragedy could have been avoided had the department acted promptly on complaints regarding the dangerous condition of electric wires in the village. He pointed out that the village headman had earlier informed MeECL about the potential danger, but no action was taken until the fatal incident occurred.
Lamare said that if the department had responded immediately, the loss of three young lives could have been prevented. He described the incident as deeply tragic and said no words could ease the pain of the grieving parents and family members.
The MLA further urged MeECL officials to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future. He stressed that officials should not wait until lives are lost before responding to complaints and should instead take immediate preventive measures whenever the public reports safety concerns.
He also reminded government officials to treat members of the public with respect and respond responsibly whenever they approach the department with complaints relating to public safety.