CS convenes coordination meet to take stock of post-earthquake situation

GANGTOK, 23 Sept [IPR]: Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso chaired a coordination meeting here at the Chintan Bhawan conference hall today on the earthquake disaster management and the relief operations in progress. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the State Government, armed forces, BRO, SSB, ITBP, National Disaster Rescue Force and other agencies
The meeting started with a two-minute silence observed in the memory of lives lost to the earthquake and the Chief Secretary, in his address, conveyed deep grief and sadness on the casualties suffered by Sikkim.

He observed that the State Government machinery along with the Army personnel, ITBP, NDRF, SSB and BRO have stood up against all odds to overcome the natural calamity. All departments of the State Government as well as paramilitary forces have shown proactive responsibility in this hour of urgency in the State. The meeting, he explained, was mainly convened to discuss all aspects of activities underway across the state with regard to the earthquake and the relief and rehabilitation measures being undertaken on the ground.
He thanked the paramilitary forces and the State machinery in mitigating the shortage of essential commodities at various Rehabilitation Camps and affected areas and in the relief and rescue operations. He remarked that it was encouraging to see that the departments have displayed resilience and are working and functioning as they normally do despite some damages.
The Chief Secretary also informed the gathering that the Chief Minister left for Mangan in the morning itself to make an assessment of the damages caused by the recent earthquake and to listen to the people’s grief and to oversee the rescue and relief operations there. Thereafter, the Chief Minister will proceed towards South and West districts, he added.
He also cautioned miscreants who were circulating and uploading irresponsible reports and messages and asked the HoDs also to verify the facts.
He informed that funds have been sanctioned to various departments in advance to cope up with the situation.  Rs. 50 lakhs each have been given to Roads & Bridges, Buildings, RM&DD and HRDD, Rs. 1 crore to Power & Energy Department, Rs. 10 lakh for Food and Civil Supplies, and monasteries, mandirs and churches were given Rs. 15 lakhs.
The Chief Secretary informed the meeting that Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shiva Raj Chawhan, has donated Rs. 2 crore, CM of Chattisgarh Raman Singh Rs. 2 crore, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand has sent Rs. 3 crore, CM of Maharastra Rs. 10 crore and the Dalai Lama has sent Rs. 5 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the earthquake victims.
The Additional Chief Secretary R Ongmu, directed the Secretary IPR to setup a Media Centre at MG Marg for dissemination of information and also to keep copies of press releases and maintain a portable public address system on site.
She also directed the Power Secretary to ensure uninterrupted power supply to MG Marg, hospitals, Paljor Stadium, Police Offices etc.
The District Collector and Superintendent of Police, East have been directed to relocate the VIP vehicles from MG Marg to elsewhere and make the premises open to all.
The meeting also took account of the progress in relief and rescue operations made by the State Government and the paramilitary forces and NDRF.
Besides these, the meeting also took an update on the road conditions and access to affected areas, status on the supply of essential commodities at various Rehabilitation Camps, supply of medicines at various districts hospital, PHCs, PHSCs and affected areas and progress on the treatment of the injured, restoration and supply of electricity and water, position on evacuation of tourists stranded at various places of North District.
While summing up the meeting, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, RS Basnet, congratulated the State administration, Paramilitary forces and NDRF and all those involved in the relief and rescue operations and said that cooperation from all sections was praise-worthy. He also thanked the Central Government for the immediate action as well. He also hoped that equal presentation of actions has to be shown in the upcoming Prime Minister’s visit.