PD Rai raises Sikkim’s woes during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha



GANGTOK, August 30: Speaking during the Zero Hour of Lok Sabha today, lone Lok Sabha member from Sikkim, PD Rai highlighted the woes of Sikkim due to natural calamities and requested the Centre to dispatch a team to the landslides hit Hilly State.

“I request the Government of India immediately send a team to inspect the extent of damage to life, property and State assets and help the State government in coping with this crisis. This is a short term measure that needs to be taken up forthwith”, said the Sikkim MP during the Zero Hour of Lok Sabha proceedings.

Rai pointed out to the House that Sikkim is presently facing and coping with one of the worst cases of widespread landslides due to the torrential rain that has not yet abated in the State.

“Many people have lost their lives. Many people have been made homeless. Farmers have been affected very badly with standing crops being washed away in several locations”, said the MP. He further spoke about the recent slides along the NH 31A that cut off Gangtok for three days.

“Prices of commodities have risen. The poorer sections of our population have been hard hit”, said Rai pressing for a Central team to visit and take stock of damages caused in Sikkim by slides as a short term measure.

“What in my opinion is a more important are long term measures for securing the security of life and property in mountain States like Sikkim, Jammu &Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. Mountain specificities are clearly being ignored in current planning. More and more mountain specific planning and programs need to be initiated. Delhi and plains centric thinking will only aggravate the situation’, said Rai.

The Sikkim MP also requested the Lok Sabha Speaker for a full discussion on this issue during the next session of Parliament on a priority basis.

source;sikkim express