Chief Minister P.S. Golay today reached Tsong village, Yuksam in West Sikkim and took stock of the damage caused by the landslides of September sixteen evening. He met the affected families who have taken shelter at the relief camps found out close to Yuksam bazaar by the district administration.
A total of 76 homes were damaged in numerous degrees because of the landslides besides goodly loss of livestock and crops. An 81-year-old woman, Buddhi Maya Limboo, lost her life because of a landslide at another location close to Yuksam bazaar.
The Chief Minister handed away ex-gratia to the affected families of Tsong and family of deceased Buddhi Maya Limboo in conjunction with relief materials. Besides the usual government compensation, ex-gratia was additionally given from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
Interacting with the affected families, P.S. Golay aforesaid it's the duty of the State government to provide prompt necessary support to the victims displaced by natural calamities. The houses damaged by the landslides are replaced with new houses by the State government beneath 'Garib Awas Yojana', he said. He informed that the State government can study the earth science status of Tsong village before enterprise the rehabilitation work.
The study will be done to seek out if the area is habitable or not. Just in case of a negative report, the State government can purchase appropriate lands to rehabilitate the affected families, said Golay.
Every affected house will be paid as per the government norms, said Golay. He aforesaid the ex-gratia was disbursed in cheques instead of cash to ensure the government's transparency.
In his transient address, DC (west) karma R Bonpo thanked the National Disaster and Relief Force, State Disaster and Relief Force and numerous NGOs of West Sikkim for their instant support in rescue mission. He assured the landslide affected families all the assistance potential from west district administration.
Meanwhile, support for Tsong village is running in from all the corners of West Sikkim. NGOs and people are reaching out the affected families with relief materials every day.
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