From Jan, health certificate a must for visiting Sandakphu
Times of India | 6 December 2024
123 Darjeeling: Following the back-to-back deaths, the Darjeeling district administration has decided to make mandatory health certificates from Jan 2025 to visit the 11,941 feet trekker's paradise at Sandakphu. But locals say it is the lack of basic health facilities which is the main cause for concern. Sandakphu doesn't have a single medicine store, forget any hospital or basic medical facility, locals said.
Apart from the mandatory health certificates, the administration said they have given 48 mini oxygen cylinders to Maneybhanjang tourist assistant booths (TAB) and another 48 cylinders to Sandakphu TAB. "We have already come up with an advisory for the tourist visiting the region, furthermore from Jan onward we will make it mandatory for the tourist to show a medically fit certificate and also a self declaration before visiting Sandakphu," Darjeeling SDO Richard Lepcha said.
Rajesh Chauhan, deputy chairman of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), is readying a policy making it mandatory for the tourist to show their medical certificate before going to Sandakphu. "We are making it mandatory for the tourist to show their medical certificate at Maneybhanjang before proceeding to Sandakphu," he added.
But the death of Dum Dum tourist Ankita Ghosh, who was spotted unconscious and bleeding from her nose at a Tumling homestay and could only be taken to the nearest hospital 26 kms away after 4 hours, shortly after which she died, brought the focus back on lack of basic medical infrastructure in this heavy tourist zone on the Indo-Nepal border that also has a substantial local population. This is the third such death this year in north Bengal.
The Singalila Land Rovers' Owner's Association (SLROA) claimed that after much deliberation, mini oxygen cylinders have been provided at tourist assistant booths (TAB) between Maneybhanjang and Sandakphu but due to lack of training, they can't operate the same.
"Despite the tourist influx, there are no immediate medical facilities for the tourists as well as the locals. In case of any minor or major injury, the patient has to be taken to Sukhiapokhari block primary health center which is around 37 kms from Sandakphu and takes a four hours to reach," said the manager of a homestay in Sandakphu.
Chandan Pradhan of SLROA said they have been raising the issue but the demands have fallen on deaf ears. " After much efforts, we have received mini oxygen cylinders but it is not sufficient. We have received only 48 of them while there are 20 vehicles. But seeing the urgent need we will distribute it on Dec 8," said Pradhan.
Suvajit Dutt, an avid traveller from Jadavpur, said nothing has changed in the area in terms of healthcare facility. "I carry my own medicines and urge everyone to do the same. Once a friend had suffered severe diarrhea and I remember we couldn't even manage basic medicines," said Dutt.
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