Highway drains receive official inspection

GANGTOK, 10 June: The East District Administration, in a follow up to the co-ordination meeting convened by District Collectorate with all the line departments including BRO on 08 June, took a team comprising of SDM, Gangtok, Dr. AB Karki, Deputy Mayor, Shakti Singh, Daragaon Councillor, Bhashker Basnet, senior officials of BRO, PHE, UD & HD departments and various others, and inspected all the trouble points along the National Highway upto Ranipool, Indira Byepass and areas above Gangtok today.
The team found most of the drains clogged and water supply pipes and even electric cables hanging in and over the jhoras. In some places, they even found fresh lots of garbage packed into cement bags and dumped in the jhoras.

The SDM called the police personnel and directed them to book the culprits under Disaster Management Rule, which makes them liable them to pay Rs. 5,000 as fine. He also urged the nearby shopkeepers either to take the photographs of such culprits or immediately inform the nearby thana.
The SDM further requested the BRO officials to clear all the drains as soon as possible and clear all the debris dumped along it. The BRO officials assured the SDM that the drains along the Highway will be immediately cleared and retaining walls at the required points immediately constructed.
Speaking to NOW!, Dr. Karki said, “Holding meetings will not yield any results, so we decided to work in the field. Today’s inspection has given us an idea from where the work has to be started and by whom.”
“All the concerned departments have assured us that works falling under their respective jurisdictions will be carried out immediately,” he said, adding that for the areas falling in and around Gangtok Bazar, similar meeting will be held on 18 June and follow-up will be done accordingly.