GFPF-Topa Khani stretch acts up, back-cutting starts pulling down building

GANGTOK, 15 July: Panchayat Secretary, Bimal Lamichaney’s building at Dokey Chisopani under Sirwani Chalamthang GPU was damaged on the night of 13 July at around 9.30 p.m. when the slope below it gave away. It has been a sleepless two nights for the panic-stricken family since then given that the house they now live in has been visibly destabilised.
The building situated above the Government Fruit Preservation Factory, Singtam, has suffered severe damage, mostly in the kitchen, toilet and the verandah portions which have sunk and thrown up extensive cracks. 

The entire structure has tilted towards the NH 31A below which is pulling at its foundations. 
Mr. Lamichaney believes that the damage has been caused by the ongoing back-cutting works by GREF on the highway below without having provided retention walls. The situation has worsened due to the continuous rainfall.
He informed that though “sandbag benching” was undertaken, it could not provide the required protection to the building.
Even the “step-wall” constructed by GREF has begun to show cracks. 
GREF personnel had explained yesterday that because of the big landslide suffered by the area [stretching from GFPF to Topa Khani] the entire stretch [including where the affected house is located] had become unstable. The stretch also experiences water seepage from the wall at various spots, making the stretch wet and primed for a landslide.
GREF personnel have been at the spot since yesterday and are working to repair the damage and arrest the instability.
Today, the GREF Chief Engineer also visited the spot. He however refused to take the responsibility for the damage.
The spot was also visited yesterday by the area MLA, Am Prasad Sharma, BDO, Khamdong, KL Lepcha, BDO, Martam, Kishore Pradhan, panchayat president, Narayan Darnal and other few associations.