GANGTOK, Aug 17: Four labourers are feared to have been washed away by the Tholungu, one of the tributaries of the Teesta river, in the Dzongu area in North Sikkim, police said today. The four persons, whose identities are yet to be established, were labourers from outside the state working at the Panan hydel power project in upper Dzongu, DIG (Range) Mr Akshay Sachdeva, said.The incident occurred late last night following a sudden rise in the water level of the Teesta tributary. According to officials, the water level in the Teesta tributary rose following heavy downpour in the area over the past few days. A police team from Mangan, the North district’s headquarters, has reached the spot and launched efforts to recover the bodies, Mr Sachdeva said. “The flood waters have also submerged the Panan hydroelectric project site and washed away costly equipment,” officials, said, adding that efforts are on to search the four labourers who are feared to have been washed away last night. “We do not even know the names of the four labourers as they are all probably from outside the state,” said Mr TN Kazi, DC, North.He added that the police and civil defence personnel are working hard to search the four labourers. “The locals are also helping us in carrying out rescue operaion.”“If we fail to search them, we will hire rafters from Kalimpong to do the duty,” Mr Kazi, said.He added that the police are trying to identify the quartet and contact their family members.
UPDATE: The victims have been identified as Surendra Kumar (Tamil Nadu), N. Bisht (Uttarakhand), O.P. Mattoo (Bihar) and Arjun Majhi (Siliguri). All of them were employees of Shivalik Geological Survey, a Hyderabad-based agency, engaged by Himagiri Pvt. Ltd. The 280MW power project is being built by Himagiri.
The quartet were reportedly engaged in drilling the river bank at Lingzya in Upper Dzongu when the accident occurred. Their equipment was also washed away.
The quartet were reportedly engaged in drilling the river bank at Lingzya in Upper Dzongu when the accident occurred. Their equipment was also washed away.
Affected Citizens of Teesta, an apolitical body, is protesting against the Panan project on religious and environmental grounds.
