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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Relief and rescue works underway full swing, reassures North Sikkim relief in-charge

GANGTOK, 27 Sep: The PCCF cum Secretary, Forests, NT Bhutia, in-charge of the follow-up action on earthquake damage and relief and rescue operations in the North district, shared today that district administration was working round-the-clock with able assistance from officials of line departments, panchayats, NGOs and the local residents despite the inclement weather and continuing inaccessibility of parts of the worst affected areas to vehicular traffic. 
The status report and recommendations submitted by the PCCF to the Chief Secretary yesterday, reiterates that the 18 September earthquake caused extensive damage throughout North Sikkim with the areas around the epicentre being the worst affected.
Speaking to NOW! today, he informed that phone connectivity has been completely restored for Mangan, with 15 percent of BSNL connectivity restored by 19 September, a day after the earthquake itself. However, with other areas still being cut-off to telecommunication [save the BSNL WLL network in Chungthang], BSNL has provided Satellite Phones for which the receiver equipment is in the process of being  installed at suitable places at Lachung and Lachen.
The report details that in the absence of vehicular connectivity to these places, the equipment will have to be airlifted.
“Forest Department is also trying to strengthen existing wireless communication sysystem in the area by installing a powerful repeater at Chungthang,” he added.
He further informs that the Forest Department has already sent a team of Forest officials and doctors to Lingzya and Manul along with relief materials and medicines to the affected familes.
“Medical check-ups for the affected families were carried out by the doctors and medicines provided. Then there is a second group to these areas where relief materials were provided to residents of Safo and Ramam villages along with medical attention. The forest officlas and personnel have been with the people throughout the earthquake and its aftermath since they were the only men in uniform posted in those areas at the time. They have been coordinating and engaging in relief works throughout,” he stated.
The report also details that access to clean drinking water is still a major problem for the affected areas.  Repairing these facilities will obviously require bulky supplies. The PCCF has also put on record that the BRO and the Army have left no stone unturned to clear the roads in North Sikkim and highlights that it was their diligence which ensured that the from Mangan up to Toong was opened on 24 September.
“It is not possible to restore road connectivity from Toong to Chungthang immediately and in Dzongu, only Lingzya is accessible by road, with the rest of the formation destroyed too severely. All the villages of Dzongu beyond Lingzya, including many villages in Lower Dzongu, have been cut-off from the road network,” he adds.
As per the latest information, seven persons are stranded at Singnok in Upper Dzongu while six adults and two children were evacuated by an army helicopter from Sakyong and Pentong villages of Dzongu to Mangan, it is learnt.
The status report also calls for the STDC to station a helicopeter at Mangan for immediate rescue operations and evacuation of the stranded people.
The PCCF cum Secretary further informs that apart from the Ringhem monastery above Mangan which has been totally damaged, walls of Tholung Gumpa have collapsed and only the roof with portions of the walls are still standing.
“Since this is the most sacred monastery of Sikkim, housing important relics, the Secretary, Cultural Affairs, is requested to take immediate action to save the monastery. There are several other monasteries located at Lingzya, Phodong, Phensang, Labrang, Ramam and many other locations which have been damaged by the earthquake and require immediate renovation and repair,” he states.
He further informs of a 20-member team of youth from Rhenock and a 14-member group from Chemchey in South Sikkim are now stationed in different locations in Dzongu carrying out relief works. He adds that the Forest department is issuing on-the-spot orders for the felling of unstable trees in different parts of the state for which rescue and sub-rescue sector teams have constituted. Every sector has been provided with communication sets along with modern power saws. There are various quick response teams and field response teams of the Forest Department which includes officers and personnel engaged in relief activities throughout the state.

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