Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) flays Opposition parties for politics over Earthquake

Gangtok: Hardly a week has passed since the devastating earthquake of September 18, resulting in an unprecedented crisis for Sikkim and its people, that the opposition parties aspiring to come to power have started their habitual game of misleading the people with misinformation to add to the agony of the crisis-stricken people. Such a “mean and inhuman” act of the opportunist politicians is strongly condemned by the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), says a press release on September 25 by SDF general secretary (publicity) Mr. T. N. Sharma.

The release cites specific instances of the “misinformation campaign” resorted to by the opposition parties as to the cause of the earthquake.

Firstly, the opposition leaders are saying that the hydel power projects caused the 9/18 earthquake, whereas, geo-scientists have unanimously attributed the earthquake to tectonic plate movement far below the crust of the earth which released huge energy that found its way up through faults and fractures already demarcated as earthquake zone 4 in north-west Sikkim.

Secondly, to compound the panic among the people, fillers are being given about “another earthquake soon”. But, according to experienced geologists a recurrence of the earthquake in the near future is unlikely because, they point out, huge quantum of sub-surface energy is already released in 9/18 shock wave and aftershocks that followed.

The release also mentions that road connectivity with Lachen-Lachung being snapped due to massive landslides, problems are being faced by Army and other agencies engaged in rescue and relief operations, but in disregard to this fact, malicious propaganda is floated to foment disaffection among the people in distress