Sikkim Power Minister M N Sherpa and Agriculture Minister Lok Nath Sharma on Saturday visited Soreng and Gyalshing respectively to supervise rescue and relief work in landslide-affected areas of the two districts.
Sherpa, accompanied by Soreng District Collector Bhim Thatal and other local officials, inspected landslide-hit areas under Daramdin Block and interacted with the local people. He assured that all possible support would be provided by the district administration to the affected families.
The state power minister, who is an MLA from the Darindon assembly constituency of Soreng district, instructed the collector to assess the damage caused by the landslides and heavy rain taking place in the last three days and provide relief to the needy people.
Sherpa made a house-to-house inspection in Suntalay Gaon, Orange Village and Lower Tikpur under the Siktam-Tikpur gram panchayat unit (GPU) and directed local officials to immediately relocate the affected families to a safer place.
He also visited the landslide-hit households at Bangay Tar, Chyangba Gaon under the Okharay GPU and Siktam under the Siktam-Tikpur GPU during which two affected families were provided compensation for the damage to their houses.
Sharma, the agriculture minister, who is an MLA from Gyalshing Bermiok, visited the damaged site along the Gyalshing-Legship Highway and inspected the ongoing restoration work. He also instructed officials to expedite the work and urged them to submit a proposal for an alternative road to ensure public convenience during the monsoon season.
The highway was damaged heavily due to a landslide that occurred on August 21.
One person was killed and roads and properties were damaged extensively as landslides triggered by heavy rains struck in various parts of Sikkim.
