Gangtok: In a disturbing turn of events, 192 goats distributed under a welfare scheme in Sikkim’s Gyalshing district died shortly after being handed over to beneficiaries, triggering public outrage and official scrutiny.
The incident occurred on March 4, 2025, in the Arithang-Chongrang GPU, where the goats were distributed by the Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi (RGVN), an NGO, without obtaining prior clearance from the District Administration or the Animal Husbandry Department.
According to an FIR filed by Tenzing D. Denzongpa, the District Collector-cum-District Magistrate of Gyalshing, the goats skipped mandatory quarantine and medical inspection protocols required by state regulations. The lack of health checks is suspected to be the primary reason behind the mass deaths, with officials alleging that disease-infected goats were irresponsibly handed over to beneficiaries.
Local coordinators Jaydeep Das, Ramesh Chettri, Shanti Limboo, and Pratiksha Tamang are now under investigation for their role in the irregular distribution. The district administration stressed that the state government had no involvement in the scheme and has suffered reputational damage due to the incident.
“Due to this incident, the image of the state government has been severely tarnished,” the District Collector stated, adding, “The blame for this tragedy has unfairly fallen on the government, which was not involved in the distribution.”
Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the matter to determine the exact cause of the deaths and hold the responsible parties accountable.
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