CM visits slide-hit Rolep, consoles bereaved families releases ex-gratia payments

GANGTOK, 08 June [IPR]: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling visited Rolep, East Sikkim, today to express his deep sorrow and solidarity with the slide victims. He also distributed ex-gratia amounting to Rs. 1.5 lakh per person to the next of the deceased.
Seven persons, including four members of a single family, were buried when landslide hit Rolep village under the Rongli Sub Division of East District. The landslide had occurred in the early morning of 07 June due to heavy overnight downpour. Five houses in the area had also been completely damaged.
The names of the deceased are Birman Rai, Mani Maya Rai, Tika Devi Rai, Susan Rai, Mihan Rai, Mahendra Pd. Rai and Chandra Kumara Rai. The Chief Minister also assured to take care of the education of the children of Late Birman Rai who were the only survivors from the family. He also declared that the government will construct the houses of those whose houses have been damaged by the slide.
While returning from Rolep, the Chief Minister visited Chujachen Senior Secondary School and interacted with the students. The Principal of the School thanked the Chief Minister for providing bus and computers for the school which had been assured during his village-to-village tour last year.
 The Chief Minister informed the students that the government is planning to open another college in the state to meet the demand of the students. He also directed the concerned department to prepare an estimate of the infrastructural developmental works of the school which has been demanded by the school.
The Chief Minister also addressed the students of the school in which he outlined the roles and responsibilities of the students in the society as responsible citizens. The Chief Minister also talked about the various programmes implemented by the government in the field of education and asked the students to take maximum benefit from it.
The development of the state can be judged from the fact that people from various parts of the globe are coming to the state to learn from Sikkim, its policies and its programmes, the Chief Minister said to the students.