Sikkim flash floods: MoS Ajay Mishra meets CM Tamang, assures Centre’s help

Gangtok (Sikkim) [India], October 8 (ANI): Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra on Sunday held a meeting with Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang at the CM’s residence in Gangtok to discuss the situation of flash floods in the state.

MoS Mishra is on a two-day visit to Sikkim to take stock of flash flood-affected areas.

Earlier on Saturday, he visited the flash flood-affected areas in Rangpo.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Home Minister Amit Shah deputed MoS Ajay Kumar Mishra to visit the state a day after flash floods triggered by cloudbursts wreaked havoc in the state.

MoS Mishra reached Gangtok on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he chaired a meeting with the Chief Secretary and concerned head of departments of the State Government, and senior officers of the Army, ITBP, BRO, NHIDCL and NHPC at Gangtok.

Addressing the meeting, MoS Mishra said that the Government of India is closely monitoring the situation in Sikkim and all the necessary support and assistance for the State is underway.

He said that PM Modi and Amit Shah are in constant touch with the State Chief Minister with regard to the extent of damages and rescue and relief work.

He further informed that the Centre has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central team comprising senior officers of five Ministries of the Centre, namely Agriculture, Road Transport and Highways, Jal Shakti, Energy and Finance.

The team will visit the State today to take stock of the ground situation, assess the damages and provide assistance wherever necessary, according to the statement.

MoS Mishra also called on the Governor of Sikkim Lakshman Prasad Acharya at Raj Bhavan and assured of all possible support to the State from the Central Government to overcome the crisis.

Later, he visited the Army camp at Burdong where maximum casualties have happened, according to the MHA statement.

As per the statement, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) carried out a rescue operation right from October 3rd night itself, and evacuated more than 175 persons, and they are running relief centres within their different camps. 40 persons were stranded into a totally cut off area, they were rescued through highly dangerous terrain and evacuated through rough rivers through cables and ropes.

Further 6 persons were rescued, who were trapped on the other side of the dam tunnel. 68 persons were stranded at Zanak, which is 16,000 feet in height, and everyone was rescued safely and brought to ITBP camp at Goma. Four stranded families were brought to Lachung BOP of ITBP and they are camping there.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Saturday said that maximum damage in the flash floods in Teesta River took place after the 1200 MW dam in Chungthang in the State’s Mangan district broke alleging substandard construction work by the previous government in the State.

As per the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) report of October 7 as of 10 am, the death toll was registered at 27 with with 141 people still reported missing. It said 2413 people have been rescued, and 1203 houses have been damaged in the flash flood.

It further said that about 25,065 people have been disaster-affected so far and 6875 people have been shifted to relief camps. The Sikkim government has set up 22 relief camps.

The Lhonak glacier in the Sikkim Himalayas burst on October 3, breaching one side of the lake leading to the rise in the water levels in Teesta and inundating several areas of the state.