Fear grip Kholakham villager following incessant rains
Mukesh Sharma
Kalimpong , 25th Aug
Residents of Lower Kholakham under Kalimpong
Block 2 are spending sleepless nights fearing heavy showers and landslide
menace like last year. Recalling those heartbreaking memories, people in
the areas keep their eyes peeled when it
rains.
The 63 families of this area today narrated the
story to the reporters. These families were shifted to 6 relief camps last year
from July 1st to October as the area was hit by landslide after which the area
was totally cut off from rest of Kalimpong.
Narrating the story Sukradas Rai resident of
Kolbung Kholakham told the area was washed by landslide which washed away many
houses. Many leaders including GTA Chief Bimal Gurung , the then MLA Dr Harka
Bahadur Chhetri , departmental officer came and assured of Landslide protection
but the assuranace has not turned into Reality. As a result the last year
landslide area has been increasing and the area has been sinking. The Sinking
has developed recently many cracks in the houses .
Meanwhile
Sahadev Rai a farmer told last year
landslide washed away the large cardamom farming which is a cash crop.
He said
we lived in relief camp for four month, our farming was washed away but
during
pujas we came back to our damage houses and again re started farming. He
said
the area has been regularly sinking which is posing a great danger to
all area
we even can’t sleep well when its rain heavily.Many Houses in the areas
have been either hanging above the landslide areas or below.Many farmers in the area incurred heavy loss as
the area is a good producer of Large Cardamom whose market price touches about
2000 per Kg.
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.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.
Many areas which were hit by fatal landslides are
still in the same condition. 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.
Thousands of people, meanwhile, continue to live
in a state of risk.
Tags: LOCAL
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