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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Earthquake marooned Saffo disappointed by delay in road repairs

MANGAN, 21 Oct: The 18 September Earthquake delivered extensive damage across Sikkim and exacted a severe toll in the North district. Now, more than a month since the earthquake, most places are reclaiming normalcy, but there still remain several pockets which continue suffer in the hands of devastation caused by the temblor. Saffo village under Saffo-Passingdang GPU of Dzongu in North Sikkim is one such village.
The earthquake triggered massive landslides all around the village wiping out the roads leading to it. More than a month since, this village of around 700 inhabitants, although supplied with provisions, remains marooned, its roads still not restored.
The village is cut off to vehicular access from all sides. Two days after the earthquake, a team of district officials - WO, PW Lepcha and DIO, Sonam Chopel – visited the area and enquired after their requirements and immediately despatched required supplies to the village. The villagers, while speaking to NOW! said that they were touched and grateful for the immediate support.
Subsequently, on 08 October, another consignment of essential commodities was airlifted to Saffo. Karma Dorjee Lepcha of Saffo informs that no fresh supplies have arrived since. This village is a cluster of around 150 houses with 500 local and around 200 workers still living there. 
Residents with urgent work outside Saffo have to travel on foot, a trek which takes them more than five hours to reach the district headquarter town of Mangan via Ringdang. The route remains risky and people can barely make it across the landslides. Carrying headloads of supplies is not possible here. Even the option of transhipment [a common feature at most landslide affected roads] is not available here with road blocked at too many spots between Shipgyer and Saffo.
There is no alternative for the people and what disturbs them is that restoration of road connectivity has not been initiated thus far. Only one earth mover and few laborers have been deployed by hydel developer Teesta Urja so far, they inform.
The affected people accept that it could take more than a month to clear the road which has been restored upto Shipgyer thus far. They are desperate that concerned authorities take note of their situation and address it at the earliest. 

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