GANGTOK, August 26: The State Water Security, Public Health Engineering Department Minister Thinley Tshering Bhutia today visited the landslide affected area at 17th Mile near Kyongsala in East Sikkim. Mr. Bhutia, who is the concerned area MLA of the constituency, also inspected the progress of the restoration work taking place there.
It may be noted here that the road leading to Tsomgo Lake, Nathula and Kupup was totally washed away by a massive landslide that occurred on July 26.
It is also informed that the dead body of a GREF worker washed away by the landslide has not yet been recovered.
Raj Kumar Gupta, the Junior Engineer of GREF informed the Minister that the restoration work which is on a war footing pace may take few days. Altogether, 70 labourers have been deployed to clear the debris and to construct the road, he added.The said landslide has also affected the transportation of the people residing on the other side of the slide. “We are using a route via Rongli, Zuluk and Kupup which is both expensive and time consuming,” said one of the residents while talking with the reporters today.
At the same time, plying of tourists vehicles towards Tsomgo Lake and Baba Mandir have been stopped till the completion of the restoration work.
