Devastating earthquake hits Sikkim- the most destructive ever in living memory

Chief Minister, Shri Pawan Chamling inspects affected places- announces Rs. 5 lakhs ex-gratia payment for the dead among others...

 
Gangtok, September 20, 2011: A devastating earthquake hit Sikkim at 6.10 pm on September 18, 2011. Measured at 6.9 in Richter Scale, this was the most destructive of the natural calamities in Sikkim in living memory causing huge loss to human lives and property. The traumatic experience of the earthquake on the people has been so deep that they refused to sleep at night in their houses and instead spent night under tent or under some temporary shed.
 
After the earthquake hit the State, there was total blackout, snapping of all road communication, dislocation of water supply facilities and total breakdown of telecommunication linkages. People were cut off from all forms of public services and Mintokgang, the official residence of Chief Minister was also cut off from the outside world both within and outside the State.
 
On September 19, 2011 the Hon’ble Chief Minister chaired a high level meeting at 9.30 am being attended by all the Cabinet Ministers, all MLAs, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries, Heads of Department and senior government officials of the State. The meeting took serious note of the possible damages caused to human lives and properties and provide all relief measures and rehabilitate all the affected people.  Disaster management team was immediately constituted and rushed on duties to different parts of the State. The State Government has deputed one senior Secretary each to all the three districts to personally monitor and oversee proper establishment of relief camps and work in close coordination with District Collector of the concerned district and other officials and keep the State Government informed on a daily basis. They have been detailed to do all such works as necessary to regularly monitor the number of people being offered reliefs, medical treatment, evacuation in serious cases, assessment of government as well as all private houses, buildings including hospitals, health centres, roads and bridges, PMGSY roads. 
 
Further, all Ministers and MLAs decided to visit their respective Constituencies to provide maximum support to the affected families at the grass root level and boost the support team in place. 
 
The State Government also decided to extend immediate relief in the form of ex-gratia payment of Rs. 5 lakhs each to the next of the kin of the deceased; Rs. 50,000 each to grievously injured, Rs. 25,000 each to persons with minor injuries. In addition, we also decided on relief packages for damages caused to public properties as follows:
(a)  Pucca House- Rs. 50,000 each
(b) Kutcha House – Rs. 30,000 each
(c) Partially damaged pucca house- Rs. 25, 000 each
(d) Partially damaged kutcha house- Rs. 15, 000 each
(e) Cattle death: - Rs. 10,000 each
Following the meeting, the Chief Minister immediately rushed to the affected areas in and around Gangtok and personally distributed relief assistance to the affected families. He also visited a number of places including government buildings and private houses to assess the extent of damage done to properties. Detailed assessment of all damages done is being worked out for the entire State and report being prepared, which may take a week time before arriving at an conclusive details. 
 
Road stretch from Siliguri to Gangtok under National Highway 31A has been reopened and some district roads are also being reopened for usual traffic.
 
However, roads leading to different locations and townships in North District like Lachung, Lachen, Chungthang, Ramam, Gerethang, Brinkatam, Rabong, Salempakyel and Sipgyer are still damaged and will take another one month to be restored properly. Around 1,432 households located in the higher altitude with over 10,000 population are completely cut off from the rest of the State. The help of the Army is being sought to airdrop food commodities and medical equipments, medicines in consultation with district administration or airlift these commodities to different pockets of the affected villages. The District Collector, North District has also been instructed to provide all assistance to the Army by providing local ponies, yaks and horses for transportation purpose. Rescue operation and relief works has been going on war footing jointly by the state administration, local police and Army personnel.
 
   Ω      The figures available as of today with regard to death toll is 68 with the following district-wise breakup: North – 51; East- 12; South- 01; West – 04.
    Ω       Total number of persons reported injured is over 300
    Ω      Total number of houses damaged approximately 1 lac with 2000 building collapsed inclusive of schools, government buildings, health centres etc. 
 
The Hon’ble Chief Minister is proceeding to all the districts and will visit affected families to offer personal condolence and hand over on-the-spot relief assistance as per the scheduled below:
     1.    Mangan on September 23, 2011:
     2      Namchi on September 24, 2011:
     3.    Geyzing on September 25, 2011
     4.    Gangtok on September 26, 2011
 
On behalf of the State Government, the Chief Minister has thanked His Excellency Shri Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India, the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri P. Chidambaram, Union Minister for DoNER, Shri Pawan Singh  Ghatowar, Lt. General Binod Bhatia, 33 Corps Commander, Lt. General Vikram Singh, GOC Eastern Command and His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his blessings and message and cash assistance of Rs. 5 lakhs for relief fund and all other well wishers for extending full support and assistance to overcome from this catastrophe. Shri Chamling has also recorded appreciation and thanks to all those who have come forward to help the State Government especially the Army, civil society members, NGOs, students and all other well wishers.
In order to overcome from this catastrophe, the Chief Minister has appealed to all to contribute towards “Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Sikkim” for undertaking relief work, rescue operations and the reconstruction works.