Gangtok, Oct 9: The troops of Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps are undertaking operations at a massive scale to reconnect villages cut off post the flash floods in the wee hours of October 4, 2023.

The focus of the operations are towards restoring connectivity to North Sikkim through Chungthang, which was the worst affected during the devastating flood.

Troops of Indian Army undertook a challenging operation through difficult terrain and have reached the isolated village of Rabom, North West of Chungthang and rescue of 150-200 civilians is underway.

Over the last five days, multipronged efforts have been launched. These include, ensuring sustenance of all places cut off by troops present there, reaching out to places cut off and where troops are not present, restoration of communication and connectivity to the cut off places for immediate use, damage assessment and planning for long term reconstruction work.

Speaking to media persons, Sikkim police DIG Tashi Wnngyal said, “Today, the weather was good and we have rescued 430 people and helped them to come down to safe place. More than 200 people were airlifted and more will be done if weather permits.”

Account has been taken of all tourists and locals in the areas of Chaten, Lachen, Lachung and Thangu in North Sikkim.

“A list of 2000 tourists including 63 foreign nationals has been compiled and assistance is being provided in terms of food, medical aid, accommodation and telephone connectivity. A helpline was established through which relatives of all the tourists are being informed about the wellbeing of the tourists. This effort will continue till they are evacuated. With the improvement in weather, air evacuation of tourists have started on October 9,” stated an Army press release.

Another action being undertaken by the Indian Army is to reconnect the villages that have been cut off. Towards that end, a log bridge over Lachen Chu connecting Chungthang to Pegong has been completed by troops of Indian Army along with ITBP & locals. Meanwhile Indian Army & BRO with assistance of ITBP troops is preparing a foot bridge from Chungthang side. Special teams were deployed on October 7 for opening route to Chaten via Rabom.

The teams, launched from Chaten and Chungthang side, moved over difficult terrain under inclement weather and reached Rabom village on night of October 8. A foot link up has thus been established and assistance is being provided to the 150-200 civilians stranded in the area.

Signallers of Trishakti Corps continue their efforts to restore communication link to North Sikkim by working round the clock.

“As part of these efforts, OFC cable has been crossed over Teesta River at a new location and OFC Based communication has been restored from Rangrang till Chungthang. Efforts are underway to restore OFC based communication till Lachung and Lachen after which, the BTS of BSNL can start working and mobile communication will be restored in North Sikkim,” the release stated.

Simultaneously, assessment of the damage and plans for restoring road communication in the entire state has been completed by DG BRO and Senior Engineer officials of the Indian Army.

Number of meetings with the State Government and all agencies have been held and ground reconnaissance has been carried out by the team, in some of which, even the Chief Minister of Sikkim, PS Tamang was present. The CM has assured of all assistance in terms of availability of land, forest clearance etc for the reconstruction work.

To ensure sustenance of the people at Chungthang, rations have been provided to the Gurudwara at Chungthang. Medical aid is being provided at all locations and so far, more than 1500 patients have been treated by the Trishakti Healers.

Phu Dorjee, Food and Civil Supplies officer, Chungthang said, “We have enough food grains. No shortages will happen for two months. Today we have distributed 60 bags of essential items to the relief camps. Six bags were distributed to Gurudwara.”

Sumedha Bajaj, a tourist from Mumbai who was stranded at Sikkim due to the disaster, expressed her happiness and thanked Indian Army for helping them. “We have come here for vacation but we have been stranded here for few days due to the disaster. We thank to Indian Army for the helping hand. The Indian Army has stood with us in time of crisis and helped us to move from the stranded area,” she said.

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