Major landslide in Singtam damages NHPC project, homes
The Statesman | 21 August 2024
A major landslide struck Dipudara, Balutar, Singtam early this morning, around 7 am, causing significant damage to NHPC’s Teesta Stage V project and severely affecting six nearby houses.
The District Administrative Centre in Gangtok reported that a technical team from Delhi is set to visit the site to assess the damage and recommend measures for restoring the NHPC site.
The landslide also caused large cracks along the Singtam-Dikchu road, rendering it inaccessible.
A temporary road diversion has been established through Dochum to maintain connectivity.
District collector of Gangtok, Tushar Nikhare, along with the BDO Khamdong, a senior geologist from the department of mines and geology, and other officials, visited the affected area and met with the displaced residents.
The landslide impacted the homes of Kalu Chettri, Kul Bahadur Subba, Anand Tamang, Dhanraj Rai, Neeru Hangma Subba, and Taran Bahadur Chettri.
All residents have been evacuated and relocated to the NHPC guest house in Balutar, which has been designated as a relief camp.
The Block Development Officer of Khamdong is currently overseeing operations at the camp. The DC Gangtok has instructed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to begin immediate restoration work on the damaged road.
The BRO has assured that the road will be made operational as soon as possible. Additionally, the department of mines and geology has been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation of the landslide and providing recommendations for both short-term and long-term restoration efforts.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as efforts to restore normalcy are underway.