Chumbong youth meet, resolve to go for gherao and dharna if earthquake relief not delivered within a month

GANGTOK, 04 Mar: A meeting of local youth of Chumbong in West Sikkim was convened under the chairmanship of Panchayat secretary, Dorjee Tshering Bhutia at West Chumbong today. Ongyel Lepcha, Jacob Khaling and Anita Lepcha spoke on the development of the area and other issues. The meeting was also addressed by Biren Rai, Noel Rai and Mani Raj Rai.
A press release issued by Jacob Khaling informs that the meeting has unanimously passed various proposals. According to the release, many houses, school buildings, Panchayat Bhawan, church, monastery and roads in Chumbong have been damaged by the 18 September earthquake and alleges that even after the submission of the final survey report, no rehabilitation and repair works have been carried out.
Giving a one-month ultimatum, the meeting proposed that if relief distribution and repair work is not carried out within a month, the local people will ‘Gherao’ the concerned office and sit on Dharna.
The release informs that under the initiative of MLA and former Minister, PS Tamang, the setting up of the BDO office at Chumbong was passed in January 2009 and land for the same was acquired by the government but even after three years have passed since, the BDO office is still not functional. The meeting has resolved to pressurize the government to make the BDO office at Chumbong functional as soon as possible.
The release further alleges that the PMGSY Road between Chumbong School Dara to Khutti Dara was dug in 2008-09 but till now the affected people have received just 45% of their land compensation which was bought at a low rate of Rs 1 lakh per acre. On the same, the meeting proposed that the affected people should get compensation as per present government rates and value of land otherwise the affected people would take legal action.