Resettlement begins for left-out Bey families, finally

The relocation and resettlement of the final set of seven affected families of Bey village of Upper Dzongu, North Sikkim, displaced by the 18 September earthquake of 2011, has been long overdue. Construction work on the alternate sites allotted to these families has finally begun. Altogether 18 families from Bey were to be relocated, but the resettlement of these seven families had been delayed because the alternate site allotted to them in Chandey village required extra work and hence, extra funds as well. The funds available under Reconstruction of Earthquake Damage Rural Housing Scheme (REDRH) were not sufficient to undertake construction work at these sites.

Lingzya-Bey stretch restored, finally

MANGAN, 13 May: North Sikkim was the worst hit by the 18 September 2011 earthquake and in the district, it was Dzongu which took the severest blow. Among the infrastructure lost to the earthquake on the day was the Lingzya-Bey road in Upper Dzongu. The stretch had been ruthlessly devastated by the earthquake with even walking across the stretch being fraught with risks.
Today, more than a year and a half since the earthquake, the Roads & Bridges Department, North district, opened this road for light vehicular traffic right up to Bey today. While this stretch had been opened in mid-Feb, it had not settled down properly, and kept acting up. The earthquake had triggered 15 troublespots on this stretch especially inconveniencing people from Bey, Sakyong and Pentong.
This was never an easy task to accomplish. Just as the terrain was difficult, the weather was hostile and the working conditions difficult. Even clearing away debris from the road was not easy and here was a challenge to cut out fresh alignments.
The Department managed somehow, paying road gangs extra wages.
The inclement weather of the recent weeks kept things difficult, but today, the JCV pushed through to Bey and is clearing its way through to Pentong, the last village reached by road in upper Dzongu.

Process begins to relocate earthquake ravaged Bey to Chandey

MLA HANDS OVER PLOTS AND CONSTRUCTION ALLOTMENT ORDERS TO 21 DISPLACED FAMILIES
WANGCHUK BHUTIA
MANGAN, 27 Aug: Almost a year since the 18 September earthquake destroyed the villages of Bey and Mantam in Upper Dzongu, the process has begun for villagers from the two villages to relocate to Chandey in Mangan, some 26-27 km away from their original village.
A total of 21 displaced families [9 from Bey and 12 from Mantam] were handed over home construction plots and allotment orders under the Reconstruction of Earthquake Damaged Rural Houses [REDRH] Project at a function held at Chandey yesterday.
Their area MLA, Power Minister Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, handed over the documents to the beneficiaries and also laid the foundation stone for a house construction for these families, eachof whom will receive a one-slab RCC structure under REDRH.
It may be mentioned here that Bey had been badly hit by last year’s earthquake, when a landslide triggered by the temblor had wiped out all 9 houses in the village. Seven people had been killed in the mishap. Around 120 villagers were evacuated from the village the next day and shifted to Lingzya in Upper Dzongu where they have been staying till now.
Speaking at the function, Minister Sonam Gyatso appealed to all government officials and panchayat members to take up the project in earnest and ensure quality work and further added that the displaced families had been given priority in the first phase of REDRH implementation in the district.
Likewise, the DDO North, Chewang Gyatso Bhutia highlighted that the construction will be completed in phases in order to ensure good quality work with 10 houses being taken up initially.  He urged the beneficiaries to also involve themselves in ensuring the quality as well as quantity of the work and further added that Sikkim was the only state where people have been provided with such facilities.
Later, while speaking to NOW!, the Minister informed that the constructions will be completed within eight months as informed by the technical experts and engineers.  He further added that land under the UDHD has been provided for the resettlement of these families at Chandey.
Meanwhile, on the progress of CMRHM in Dzongu, he informed that there is good progress in 10 GPUs out of 11 in Dzongu with only Sakyong-Pentong GPU lagging behind owing to problems in road connectivity.  Similarly, on the status of two schools - Pentong Primary School and Lingzya School which had collapsed during the earthquake, the Minister stated that Rs. 90 lakh has been sanctioned for the reconstruction of Pentong School which will start as soon as road connectivity of Lingzya-Bey is restored.  He further informed that other remaining restoration works were in progress under the respective departments.
“I’m very happy and satisfied as I have been compensated for the loss of my property,” said Rikden Lepcha, one of the displaced Bey residents while speaking to NOW! after receiving the home construction plot and site allotment order. He also expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister and area MLA for the resettlement and construction project.

Power Minister tours still cut-off Bey-Pentong in Dzongu

EXPRESSES DISSATISFACTION WITH SLOW PACE OF ROAD RESTORATION WORKS
MANGAN, 18 April: During his two-day tour of the isolated areas of Upper Dzongu especially Bey and Pentong villages under Sakyong-Pentong GPU, the area MLA, Power Minister Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress of road restoration works by the PWD. The villages of Bey and Pentong remain cut-off even after seven months since the September earthquake.
This shows the slackness and negligence on the part of the PWD department, the Minister said.
Several villages of Sakyong-Pentong GPU have been cut off denying access to even basic facilities ever since the earthquake brought along a wave of destruction to this area. The restoration of roads is still underway at Lingzya where there are several slides which need to be cleared and new road formations cut out. The road between Lingzya and Bey which is barely 4kms was severely damaged in last year’s earthquake.
On being asked about the course of action that will follow his visit, the Minister said that he will submit the overall report to the Chief Minister and take other necessary steps.
Also part of the entourage till Bey village were SDM Mangan, PW Lepcha, Zilla member, Sakyong-Pentong, Toknam Lepcha, Panchayat Secretary, Nima Lepcha, representatives of Confederation of Indian Industry headed by Laxmi Limbu Kaushal and Khurshid Dar, Head CII. The entourage walked on foot from 12th Mile till Pentong village which took two days to cover.
The Minister also took stock of the status of under construction projects of the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Mission in the area and urged every beneficiary to carry out the work focusing on quality and quantity as well. He also met senior citizens of the village in order to learn about their problems. The Minister also enquired whether relief money had been handed over to the affected families.
A short function was held at Gram Prasashan Kendra, Pentong where he held a meeting with local panchayat and the general public. The Zilla member, Toknam Lepcha placed a demand petition of the GPU on behalf of the people regarding up gradation of the ropeway and restoration of road till Bey at the earliest.
While addressing the villagers here, the Minister said that the panchayat being the representative of the village should play an important role in the development of the village and for the proper utilisation of the programmes and policies of the government. He further added that CRHM houses constructed in the area should be earthquake resistant.
As the Bey village is located amidst ample greenery, the Minister urged the villagers to opt for eco-tourism and home stays which can be a permanent source of income in the area. He also directed the concerned panchayat and the health staff to organize some health awareness programme in the village.
While highlighting the issue of panchayat election, the Minister said that there would be 50% reservation for women in the upcoming panchayat election and also said that people should not disturb the peaceful environment of the village on the issue of panchayat election.
The Minister also visited the Ringpi Bridge between 12th Mile and Pentong which was in a dilapidated condition and announced that the reconstruction of the bridge has already been sanctioned. He also announced that four houses damaged by the earthquake at Pentong village will be covered under the Prime Minister’s relief fund.

Bey struggles to get back on its feet

Bey villagers rummage through the debris in hopes of salvaging something. A cluster of five houses lie buried under this rubble. Bey has been emptied and its residents camped at a relief camp or with relatives. The villagers have decided to relocate the village to safer location and men at the relief camp brave active slides to visit their homes every couple of days. The survivors are safe and provided for at present, but are yet to get over the trauma of the 18 September Earthquake which claimed seven lives in their village.

WANGCHUK BHUTIAMANGAN, 20 Oct: Bey, falling under Sakyong-Pentong GPU in Upper Dzongu, is one of the worst affected villages of the 18 September Earthquake. The tremors threw down a massive landslide into the village on that Sunday evening, burying a cluster of five houses and killing seven people.