Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong , 30th June

Residents in the Hills including Kalimpong are spending sleepless nights fearing heavy showers and landslide menace like last year.Recalling those heartbreaking memories, people in the Hills areas keep their eyes peeled when it rains. Last year between 30 June and 1 July, the Hills received about 227 mm rain in a few hours that left about 41 dead, eight missing and many injured. Apart from that, landslides affected many houses, villages and roads in GTA area.

Kalimpong and Mirik were the worst affected by the rain. About eight people died in Kalimpong and five were left missing. The worst monsoon fury fell hard on many people who were worst affected and still are in trauma. Some still can’t sleep when it starts to drizzle. After the fury, NDRF teams came to the rescue, GTA Chief Bimal Gurung visited almost all worst affected places on foot.

Apart from this Centre Minister for Home Kiren Rijuju, MP S S Ahluwalia came to visit the area. After a year nothing much has changed, people are still in risky situation. No steps to shore up the damaged areas have been taken yet. The situation is so bad that a high intensity torrential rain can wash out many houses, roads which have been in a critical position from July 1 2015.

Kalimpong Saheed park , Chisopani, Bara Bhalukhop, 8th Mile, 6th Mile, Sadhu Dhara, Lower Bong, Dungra busti, Chibo/Pashyor, Sindebung, Kolbung, Lava, Kholakham, Git Kolbung, Samabiyong T.E, Reshi areas which were hit by fatal landslides, are still in the same condition. The roads in some areas have been restored but many which were cut have not yet been restored. The relevant departments, due to lack of funds, are not in a position to do anything.

GTA irrigation department executive councillor CP Poudhyal when asked about the rehabilitation of homeless people and landslide prevention work, said that the GTA from its side sent a damage report to the Centre, which sanctioned the fund but the state government has not released it.

Gopal Lama, executive director, GTA, too threw the ball in the state’s court saying that the state has not released the fund. He said GTA from its own funds built houses for many affected.

Thousands of people, meanwhile, continue to live in a state of risk.