Northeast Desk, 1st June: Heavy rains have triggered a landslide on the North Sikkim highway, severely disrupting normal life. The Gangtok-Mangan road via Tashi viewpoint has been closed due to the landslide, while the Chungthang to Lachung road faces multiple blockages in the Maltin and BOP areas due to adverse weather conditions brought by Cyclone Remal. Consequently, permits for visiting Lachung may be halted until further notice.
The adverse weather is also affecting flights, with potential disruptions expected for the Pakyong-Kolkata, Kolkata-Pakyong, and Pakyong-Delhi routes. Passengers are advised to check flight statuses on the relevant websites.
Additionally, Pakyong is experiencing a water scarcity issue due to disrupted water sources. In response, a supplementary visit was conducted in the Dhungelkharka area to evaluate mitigation efforts by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL). The inspection involved key personnel from various departments, including the Assistant Engineer from PHED Pakyong, the BO Barapathing, and representatives from NHIDCL.
The visit revealed that the measures taken to redirect rain surface runoff water to the Richu source of the Pakyong Water Supply were inadequate. More proactive steps are needed to ensure a sustainable and reliable water supply for Pakyong residents.