MHA constitutes Inter-Ministerial Central Team to assess damages caused in Sikkim

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also approved the release of both the instalments of Central Share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to assess damages caused due to a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) leading to a surge in flows in the Teesta River causing flash flood in Sikkim on October 4.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also approved the release of both the instalments of Central Share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim, amounting to Rs 44.80 crore in advance, for the year 2023-24, to help Sikkim in providing relief measures to the affected people, MHA said in a statement.

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“The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) will visit the affected areas of Sikkim shortly. Based on the assessment of IMCT, further additional Central assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to Sikkim will be approved, as per laid down procedure,” said the statement.

As per the statement, the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “standing shoulder to shoulder” with Sikkim and have assured all possible help to the government of Sikkim.

“The situation in Sikkim is being closely monitored by the Central Government at the highest level on 24×7 basis.

The Central Government is providing full support to the Government of Sikkim by mobilizing timely logistics resources to supplement the efforts of the state government to deal with the situation effectively,” the MHA further said.

The logistics support provided includes the deployment of adequate teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Air Force helicopters and Army personnel along with necessary search and rescue equipment.

Further, technical teams of Ministries of Power, Telecommunications and Roads, Highways and Transport are assisting in the timely restoration of damaged infrastructure and communication network in the State, it added.

In the early hours of October 4, due to incidents GLOF and flash floods, there was a sudden surge in flows in the Teesta River, which washed away several bridges, parts of NH-10, the Chungthang Dam and has impacted several small towns and several infrastructure projects in the upper reaches of the river valley in Sikkim.

Meanwhile search efforts for the 16 missing Army soldiers and evacuation of thousands of people stranded in various parts of the state are underway.

According to an official statement from the Indian Army, the search operation for the missing soldiers continues with the focus now on the downstream areas of Teesta Barrage.

At the site of the incident at Burdang near Singtam, the army vehicles are being dug out and stores are being recovered, said the statement.

Additional resources in terms of teams of TMR (Tiranga Mountain Rescue), tracker dogs, and special radars have been brought in, to assist in the search operations.

The troops of the Indian Army are also providing assistance in terms of food, and medical aid while extending communication facilities to civilians and tourists stranded in North Sikkim.

The troops of the TriShakti Corps Indian Army have been able to take account of 1,471 tourists present in the areas of Lachen/Chatten, Lachung and Chungthang.

A survey is being carried out by all agencies to assess the damage and plan restoration of road connectivity.