Chief Minister embarks on 6-day North District tour

Visits all places hit hard; meets affected people

People demand early implementation of Ramam Chu Power Project

Chungthang, October 25-28, 2011: The Chief Minister, Shri Pawan Chamling left Gangtok on October 25, 2011 for the earthquake ravaged North District to visit all the places and meet cross section of people in the District, to oversee smooth conduct of relief and rehabilitation measures; etc. spread over a week time coinciding with the Diwali holiday in the State. During the course of his interaction, the panchayat and the public placed popular demand for early implementation of Ramam Chu Power Project to which the Chief Minister said that the people’s voice shall be given due importance by the Government.
Before reaching Chungthang on his first day, the Chief Minister laid foundation stone of underground tunnel stretching almost 600mtrs near Theng. On second and third day of weeklong tour, the Chief Minister visited Chungthang, Lachen and Lachung where he personally inspected the damaged and collapsed buildings and houses, landslide and flash flood areas.
He also chaired meeting with the panchayat, Pipons and local gentry and expressed his condolences and sympathy towards the loss of public lives and properties during recent earthquake and assured them of all possible help and assistance for rehabilitation and resettlement from the government. The Chief Minister also informed the people of various initiatives undertaken by the government towards relief and rehabilitation and the government’s decision to construct one storied building to the affected victims whose houses have been completely damaged and collapsed by the recent earth quake.
The financial relief package of Rs 1000 crores as announced by the Prime Minister is yet to be received by the state government, he added and directed the officials of all concerned department to speed up preparation of competitive DPR of all damaged assets and the demands placed by the affected people for early submission to the Central Government. He also informed the people that a white paper on the utilization of the relief fund will be released by the government for public information and appealed to the gathering to extend their full participation, support and co-operation in the rebuilding and restoration process where quality should not be compromised at any cost, the Chief Minister added. Dwelling upon the landscape pattern, environmental advantage of the district and the demand placed, he opined that the area has great potential in tourism sector where hundreds opportunities are hidden and stressed on the need to explore it to make tourism as the profession of the coming generation.
Speaking at length on various subjects like Health, Human Development, Education etc he said that the government has left no stone unturned to meet all the demands of the present day incorporating latest technology and assured to build all damaged schools, religious institutions in consultation with the civil society. The Chief Minister at various places appealed to the people to remain vigilant against misleading rumours and strive towards rehabilitation process and restoration works for speedy development.
On the fourth day, October 28, the Chief Minister and his entourage reached Kunzang Choeling Monastery at Ship-Gyer under Dzongu constituency and Mangan where he had meeting with the local public.

Speaking at Shipgyer, he informed that the State Government will reconstruct 64 houses immediately in Dzongu which collapsed due to the earthquake. He also informed that the 14 displaced families will be shifted and rehabilitated in government land of Horticulture department. He directed the departmental officials to provide land to these families as early as possible. He also assured to the victims that government will extend all possible help for demolition of severely damaged buildings and provide alternate site for construction of house to those who have completely lost their house site due to earthquake and further directed the official of concerned department to take up the matter immediately without further delay for resettlement of affected and displaced families. While assuring the people that the demands placed by them will be given priority by the government he urged the people to have sense of responsibility towards the quality of infrastructure created. Beside this, the Chief Minister laid emphasis on tourism, organic farming, health and education and urged to the young generation to opt tourism sector as an alternative profession as it has wide, independent and bright future.

During the tour, the Chief Minister also had meeting with the Heads of various departments accompanying the Chief Minister in the evening at Lachen and Lachung where he discussed about the various lessons learned from the earthquake and asked the departmental heads to focus on the quality of the proposed infrastructure building and to put innovative and coordinated proposals to overcome such disaster in future.

During his interaction at Ship Gyer, the Chief Minister responding to demands of the local people also sanctioned in principle the demand of helipad which was put forward by the public. In this regard he asked the people to search for suitable land for the purpose.


Earlier, in the morning the Chief Minister had a brief halt at ITBP Camp at Pegong where the Commandant of ITBP presented a memento to the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister during his brief halt expressed his gratitude to the ITBP personals for their commendable job in rescue and relief operation during the time of crisis.- with IPR inputs