K120,000 for clearing landslide

KEROWAGI MP Guma Wau has stepped in with K120,000 to fund the clearing of a landslide along the Koronigle-Kerowagi road.
The money was released urgently in a bid to reopen the road which was cut off by a landslide about 200m from the Koronigle bridge on Easter Sunday.
The landslide blocked off road access to the people of Silku, Kamaneku, Paglau, Bindeku and Graiku tribes.
Severely affected were the Kerowagi-based police mobile squad 11, Kerowagi Secondary School, Kerowagi health centre, Bogo health centre, several primary schools, elementary schools, churches and business houses.
“The continuous flow of services and traffic into Kerowagi is vital to the people.
“Although it is a national road, we cannot afford to wait for the Government to come.
“It is an emergency situation that needs immediate attention,” Mr Wau said.
“I had to abandon other outstanding commitments to intervene quickly as the landslide had affected educational institutions, health centres, police base and district administration.
“Kerowagi is the second biggest town in Simbu and we had to move quickly.
“I have also reached an understanding with aggrieved landowners who demanded compensation for environmental damages in a previous landslide,” Mr Wau said.
He said clearance work had already started and the road was expected to be cleared today.
The Koronigle-Kerowagi road was sealed recently under the PNG Government-Asian Development Bank (ADB) counterpart arrangement.