Helping Hands and Red Cross Society make final review of relief and rehabilitation work in North Sikkim

MANGAN, 14 Nov: Helping Hands Sikkim, an umbrella organisation of 38 NGOs formed in the wake of the18 September Earthquake to assist relief and rehabilitation works, made a final review of relief work in North Sikkim in coordination with Red Cross Society on 12 and 13 November.
The Helping Hands Sikkim team was led by its president Palzor Lachungpa and the Red Cross Society-Sikkim by its general secretary BK Roka. The team was also accompanied by S Lawrence, Chairman, National Disaster Rescue Team, Tamil Nadu.
A team of doctors of Red Cross Society headed by specialists Dr. SK Dewan [c/c Orthopaedic Surgeon STNM Hospital] who is also the vice chairman of Red Cross Society, Dr. Namgyal Tshering Sherpa [MD, Principal Chief Consultant, Medicine, STNM Hospital], Dr. RN Deokota [MD, Consultant Gynecologist, STNM Hospital] and Dr. Norden Lepcha [Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon STNM Hospital] examined patients especially earthquake victims and other general patients at the Lingzya relief camp on 12 November.
The medical team examined patients, comprising mostly of women and senior citizens, who were also provided with free medicines. The team also provided medical treatment at Chungthang for the affected people of Chungthang and Lachung on 13 November.
Around 130 families of five wards of Sakyong-Pentong GPU of Dzongu - comprising of Bey-Tholung, Pentong, Sakyong, Lower and Upper Lingzya – were also provided with relief materials. The relief materials were distributed to the affected families at the relief camp at Lingzya where the affected families have been taking shelter.
The Bey ward panchayat, Nima Lepcha, expressed gratitude towards the members of Helping Hands and Red Cross Society for extending their unconditional support and providing immediate relief. The members also helped the villagers in restoring the footpath up to Bey, he put on record.
Similarly, on 13 November, the team reached relief materials to150 affected families of five wards of Chungthang, 40 families of Lachen and 50 families of Lachung.  Here, the relief materials were handed over to the affected families in the presence of North Zilla Adhyaksha, Khamsoong Lepcha, at Chungthang. 
Helping Hands also handed over Rs. 58,000 to the Lachung Monastery for the religious zung. The assistance was handed over to Thendup Lachungpa, the Pipon of Lachung. Relief materials comprising of blankets, tarpaulin sheets, cooking stoves, raincoats, shelter kits, power cables & bulbs, plates, tea mugs, match boxes, plastic buckets, play kits for children etc. co-sponsored by Helping Hands and Red Cross Society were provided.
While speaking to NOW!, Mr. Roka detailed the activities of the Red Cross Society while the Zilla Adhyaksha and Lachung Pipon, Thendup Lachungpa expressed their gratitude towards Helping Hands for their support.