GANGTOK, 10 Oct: A team from the Sikkim Lepcha Youth Association carried out an extensive second survey of the earthquake affected areas of North Sikkim from 02 to 08 October, a press release informs. The team toured Lingzya, Sakyong, Bey and Pentong with the prime objective of taking a comprehensive account of the devastation caused by the earthquake and landslides which inflicted severe damage to life and property, informs a release issued by Kunga Lepcha [joint secretary, SLYA] today.
These areas come under Sakyong-Pentong GPU and the roads along the three wards of Bey, Sakyong and Pentong have been severely damaged by multiple landslides because of which people are still stranded in their respective villages without sufficient food materials, the release contends.
Bey, one of the most devastated areas, where five of the 14 houses were swept away by a massive landslide on 18 September killing seven, has been totally evacuated and the affected people moved to a relief camp at 4th Mile near Passingdong, Dzongu, the release details.
The trail leading out of Sakyong is littered with 39 landslides out of which 18 are major, cutting off the village completely, consequently 90% of the people of this village are presently residing at the relief camp at Lingzya or with relatives in other parts of North Sikkim, the release adds.
Pentong, whose connectivity from the Sakyong side has been totally cut off as a bridge has been swept away by the river, has 24 houses and the entire population of the village is still stranded there, since the terrain which they have to cross to reach Lingzya through Bey remains very dangerous and risky with the area towards Lingzya having developed 42 landslides of which 20 are major, the SLYA team found.
The release further states that the primary source of income of the people here is agriculture and livestock rearing, which have received a major setback as landslides have engulfed agricultural fields. The SLYA expresses that observing the scale of damage to the cardamom fields, the government should provide them with compensation and resettlement plans.
During the survey of the affected areas, the organisation was also “shocked to learn from the affected people that till date no government representatives or any NGO has visited the affected areas of Sakyong and Pentong”.
Although they were provided the ration through airdrops, they are not satisfied with the efforts of the government in mitigating this disaster and providing relief to the people, the release highlights.
The release adds that while continuing with their fact-finding measures, the association learnt that the Tholung Monastery has still not been visited by personnel from the Ecclesiastical Department despite the monastery which contains precious artifacts having suffered extensive damage and the artefacts it houses requiring urgent safekeeping.
On their way back from the tour, the association also held an informal meeting with the DC [North] and concerned authorities at the Passingdong BAC, where they urged the authorities to give priority to the most affected areas and of air dropping food materials to Pentong, Sakyong and Tholung. The association was assured by the DC [North] that priority will be given to these areas, the release adds.
These areas come under Sakyong-Pentong GPU and the roads along the three wards of Bey, Sakyong and Pentong have been severely damaged by multiple landslides because of which people are still stranded in their respective villages without sufficient food materials, the release contends.
Bey, one of the most devastated areas, where five of the 14 houses were swept away by a massive landslide on 18 September killing seven, has been totally evacuated and the affected people moved to a relief camp at 4th Mile near Passingdong, Dzongu, the release details.
The trail leading out of Sakyong is littered with 39 landslides out of which 18 are major, cutting off the village completely, consequently 90% of the people of this village are presently residing at the relief camp at Lingzya or with relatives in other parts of North Sikkim, the release adds.
Pentong, whose connectivity from the Sakyong side has been totally cut off as a bridge has been swept away by the river, has 24 houses and the entire population of the village is still stranded there, since the terrain which they have to cross to reach Lingzya through Bey remains very dangerous and risky with the area towards Lingzya having developed 42 landslides of which 20 are major, the SLYA team found.
The release further states that the primary source of income of the people here is agriculture and livestock rearing, which have received a major setback as landslides have engulfed agricultural fields. The SLYA expresses that observing the scale of damage to the cardamom fields, the government should provide them with compensation and resettlement plans.
During the survey of the affected areas, the organisation was also “shocked to learn from the affected people that till date no government representatives or any NGO has visited the affected areas of Sakyong and Pentong”.
Although they were provided the ration through airdrops, they are not satisfied with the efforts of the government in mitigating this disaster and providing relief to the people, the release highlights.
The release adds that while continuing with their fact-finding measures, the association learnt that the Tholung Monastery has still not been visited by personnel from the Ecclesiastical Department despite the monastery which contains precious artifacts having suffered extensive damage and the artefacts it houses requiring urgent safekeeping.
On their way back from the tour, the association also held an informal meeting with the DC [North] and concerned authorities at the Passingdong BAC, where they urged the authorities to give priority to the most affected areas and of air dropping food materials to Pentong, Sakyong and Tholung. The association was assured by the DC [North] that priority will be given to these areas, the release adds.
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