Sikkim Mail

Gangtok: September 26

Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) party has strongly demanded the ruling government to conduct a joint meet inclusive of all the political parties operating in Sikkim to mitigate the earthquake crisis currently faced by the state. A press conference was held here in the capital where President SHRP Dr. AD Subba informed that presently the state is facing huge crisis due to the earthquake that rocked state on 18th September along with huge loss of property too. But when the opposition party members are approaching the affected areas to help the people, the people avoid them because of the mindset that they will not be given any benefit from the ruling government if they accept the opposition party’s offer of help.

Alleging further Dr. Subba mentioned that the state machineries operating in the grass root to assess the loss are not reaching the distant areas whereas only those areas are covered or assessed which are linked with road connectivity. The machineries functioning in the grass root are rather demanding the affected people
to avail the photographs of the damage caused by the earthquake to get the aid provided by the government. The people living in the grass root do not have facility like cameras to avail the demanded documents which currently are causing a lot of problem, he added. Further he said that the ruling government must categorize the damages met in state in disseminating the relief funds for proper
restoration, as the demand for aids for minor damages are not being covered presently. He also claimed that the Chief Minister should not only visit the victims or the affected areas and distribute the ex-gratia to the victims rather should stay here in the capital and coordinate properly with the central government, other agencies operating in catering relief measures in the worst hit areas by demanding more helicopter services. He added that numerous villages in east, south and west districts are not yet visited by the state government machineries in providing the relief measures till date or even assessing the damages. The Geo
Scientists must avail some mechanism to create awareness amongst the masses on the earthquake as the rumours being circulated by the miscreants are creating panic like situation amongst the citizens even today.

The deaths caused at Teesta Hydro Power Project in north Sikkim by the earthquake are still in dark which needs to be made public as soon as possible demanded President SHRP and also requested the ruling government to take lesson from the quake that devastated Sikkim along with to avoid further construction of HEPs. Cautioning the ruling government he said that the quake has already caused havoc in state on 18th September and if proper precautions are not taken then there are also chances of outbreak of epidemic diseases. It is time for every Sikkimese to come forward selflessly in helping, restoring the state as earlier in every possible manner leaving the parties or designation aside, he stated.

General secretary SHRP Tara Shrestha in his addressed extended his gratitude towards Army, ITBP, BRO and all other machineries operating in state to carry out the relief and rescue work. The meet was also addressed by the treasurer SHRP SB Gurung.

 

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