Sikkim floods: Centre constituted team reaches disaster hit state to assess situation

Soon after arrival, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team was briefed on the current situation by Chief Secretary VB Pathak

While restoration works and rescue operations are underway in full swing in flood-hit Sikkim, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) constituted by the Centre has reached Gangtok to assess the situation and suggest ways to overcome it.

The IMCT will be making recommendations for short and long term restoration measures.

Soon after arrival, the team was briefed by Chief Secretary VB Pathak on the prevailing situation and steps undertaken to mitigate it.

During the meeting, the Sikkim Chief Secretary apprised the IMCT about the scale of damages, and said that bridges, roads, power, water supply and drainage needed urgent restoration. The top official also urged the team to make recommendations to the Centre on relaxation of norms to restore vital infrastructure like temporary bailey bridges in critical places which have been completely cut-off.

The IMCT and Sikkim government officials would be visiting flood-affected areas IBM, ATTC- Bardang, Golitar, Singtam, and Dikchu to evaluate the damage caused. The team will also visit Mangan, Naga, and Chungthang on October 10.

The IMCT team is headed by Anant Kishore Saran, Joint Secretary (FFR), Ministry of Home Affairs, and includes Mahesh Kumar, Deputy Director, FCD, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Deep Shekhar Singhal, US (GA) Ministry of Rural Development, New Delhi, R.K. Meena, Director, Ministry of Power, CEA, Sewa Bhawan, New Delhi, Jintu Das, Joint Director, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, D/o Jute Development Kolkata and Adelbert Susngi, Regional Officer Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Guwahati.

Read also: Sikkim flash flood day 6: Death toll mounts to 55, one body recovered from Teesta Urja dam

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