June 16th 2024.
In the picturesque state of Sikkim, a group of 12 individuals from Odisha, including 5 from the Mayurbhanj district, have been facing a challenging situation for the past 5 days. The heavy rainfall and landslides have caused severe damage to the state, disrupting road connectivity, power and food supplies, and even mobile networks in certain areas.
Amidst this chaos, multiple landslides have occurred between Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, and the Chinese border. To make matters worse, the crucial Sanklang suspension bridge has also collapsed, cutting off connectivity to North Sikkim. As a result, around 1,200-1,500 tourists from different parts of India have been stranded in the state.
One of the stranded individuals, Tapas Behera from Bisoi area, reached out to us as the mobile network services were partially restored. He shared his plea for help from the state government, stating that more than 12 people from Odisha were among the trapped tourists. The disruption in road communication has caused a severe shortage of food, leading to exorbitant prices for essential items. Tapas revealed that they had to spend Rs50 to purchase items worth only Rs10. Moreover, the lack of money has become a major obstacle in their return journey.
Tapas, along with his wife Monalisa Sethi, son Abhigyan, his colleague Mayadhar Mahanta, and his wife Dharnika Mahanta, had gone to Sikkim for a summer vacation. However, due to the harsh weather and landslides, they were forced to stay in a hotel in Lachung for more than 5 days. Despite the news of stranded tourists being airlifted to Gangtok by helicopter, Tapas and his companions are anxious due to the prolonged delay.
As the schools are set to reopen on June 18 after the summer vacation, Monalisa and Dharnika, who are teachers, are concerned about how they will reach and join their school. They have appealed to the Chief Minister and the state government to take necessary measures and rescue them from this unfortunate situation.
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