We are doing our level best,’ says NDRF head DGP JKS Rawat

Posted on September 29, 2011
source: Sikkim Mail


The 400 rescuers of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were airlifted from Greater Nodia and Kolkata on 18th September when a violent earthquake rocked the state of Sikkim. The entire teams of NRDF had reached Bagdogra airport by early morning of 19th September whereas five teams of NDRF reached Gangtok by the same evening and were further deployed to North District of Sikkim, Mangan. Two teams of NRDF were also deployed at Chungthang and Lachung respectively. One team of NDRF was based at Gangtok focusing the city and, a standby team at Siliguri.

While speaking to media, NDRF head DIG JKS Rawat, told that their first tasked was to search out the dead’s and reach in the remote areas of Mangan and Chungthang. Similarly, to assess damage of houses, requirement of food, medicines, tents, to locate medical camps, extend assistance in loading and distribution of relief materials at Mangan Helipad.

Rawat mentioned that considering the execution of task, NDRF has divided rescuers in small teams consisting of 15 to 20 personnel and with the help of local guides climbed mountains terrain of north district of Mangan and reached Bring Bong, Saffu, Biha, Shipgyar, Bey, Lingzye, Manul, Thang, Ramam, Panan, Thung and Barakh. To ensure proper search NDRF teams remained in these areas for three days self contained in all respect and provided valuable information about the damages of houses, the requirement of tents, food and medicines which helped the district administration of Mangan to plan the distribution of relief material in an organised manner. He also said that during the rescue operation, one of the NRDF team was able to extricate a dead body of a lady and of a boy named, Subrata Ranjan Nath (68 yrs) residence of west Bengal from Shipgyer village. The dead bodies of Akhil Roy (45 yrs) of New Bugaigaon, Assam and Tapan Biswas (35 yrs) of west Bengal, from Moonlight School Chungthang was found. Furthermore the NRDF team at Gangtok retrieved one dead body of Ramakanta Singh (27 yrs) residence of Dzongue from a building that collapsed at Baluakhani near Vajra Cinema Hall.

NRDF organized Medical camps on 21st September at Manul and Mangan treated 721 patients with free medicines and provided 200 tents to DM Mangan on 22nd September for the earthquake victims. Further the NRDF also recovered five dead bodies from Chungthang, Bringbong, Shipgyer and Gangtok (from collapsed building). Likewise, on 27th September, NRDF rescuers along with local guides helped villagers of Tung area to reach Mangan safely. NRDF is also helping loading and unloading of relief materials at helipads. Governor of Sikkim, Balmiki Prasad Singh visited NRDF Medical Camp at Mangan and appreciated efforts of NRDF