GANGTOK, July 1

Savita Tamang

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) road construction has started from Dhaje to Adampul via Barbing. The road was tendered as connecting road starting from Ranka Dhaje to Barbing. But the construction of the road has left people dissatisfied since the road being constructed has damaged the houses of many people residing in the periphery of the construction being carried out. Due the construction of the road the house of Sunil Rai, resident of Barbing was totally damaged and they had to shift their house from the original location.

Government constructs road for public welfare but due to some reasons roads have become a symbol of fear to the local resident residing around the construction site. On 29th June at around 8pm a landslide occurred at Barbing just below the house of Tul Prasad Rai (Barbing, East Sikkim). Before the construction of road there was no sign of any landslides in that area but the construction of PMGSY road Just below Rai’s house has caused a slide destroying his house and property. The house of Mr. Rai is currently at risk, and Mr. Rai informed that he spoke numerous times with the contractor Thupden Bhutia who has been construction the road regarding the issue but the contractor pays no heed at all to his request. Furthermore Rai demands of construction of protective wall by the contractor engaged within a week’s time from the road level to prevent further damage of his house and property.

The local residents of the area have shown a sign of dissatisfaction over contractors work as they claim that the recently completed wall has been damaged. The damaged wall has also destroyed the crops along with agricultural land of Prem Subba. It is learnt that the wall construction was completed last April and was damaged within a short interval of one month. Subba informs that if the wall is not constructed properly again there are chances of damaging his house too in days ahead.

According to supervisor Vijay Tamang, due to heavy rain fall the wall was damaged and it is a natural loss as the area being constructed is neither sloppy nor do any water flows below the wall. The length of the wall is about 48 ft and the breadth about 26 ft which collapsed recently due to heavy rain added Mr. Tamang.

Adding more Mr. Tamang said that the collapsing of wall was not only due to rain fall but the contractor Mr. Thupden had asked them to use dry-bend (stone placed at the distance of two feet) while pluming the wall and that the length and breath of the wall could not take the weight of the wall. Informing more Mr. Tamang said that they have already started the re-constructing of wall since 5th June and this time they have started pluming the wall from the base as required.

 

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