Soft loans to rehabilitate victims of Rhenock fire

CS CHAIRS MEETING ON RELIEF MEASURES TO BE TAKEN

GANGTOK, 04 Feb [IPR]: As a follow-up to the action required for relief measures to the affected victims of the Rhenock fire the Chief Secretary, R Ongmu chaired a meeting with various Heads of departments, today. Also present was Minister Forest & Environment, Bhim Dhungel who is also an MLA from Rhenock.

The meeting took the decision of immediately establishing a Fire station at Rhenock, making available soft loans to the victims and waiving of old loans wherever possible. In order to see that the livelihoods of victims were not jeopardised the Chief Secretary instructed the Social Welfare department and UDHD to make available any soft loans and equipments such as sewing machines to the tailors and artisans who had lost their equipments in the fire. 

It was also decided to issue school uniforms and textbooks for the students and the District Collector was directed to facilitate to re-issue all certificates such as trade licences, voter cards, COI certificates and other such documents that may have been lost in the fire. The Water Supply department was directed to immediately ensure adequate water supply and installation of Fire hydrants at the earliest.

The Power department was also asked to undertake repairs of all electrification in the township so as to ensure safety. The UDHD department was directed to undertake the work of debris clearance and demolition of the damaged buildings. The Land Revenue department was directed to sanction adequate funds to meet the relief and rehabilitation works on an immediate basis.

The Chief Secretary while thanking all the district officials on the commendable work of immediate response to the calamity also emphasised the need for proper post disaster measures. She called upon all the departments to efficiently carry out the decisions of the meeting so as to meet the directives of the Chief Minister who during his visit to Rhenock had said that relief, restoration and rehabilitation were to be undertaken earnestly by the State administration. 

The area MLA also thanked the State administration on behalf of the people of Rhenock and hoped that the same enthusiasm would be displayed in the works to follow.