Heavy rains coupled with hailstorm claimed two lives and damaged 23,000 houses besides affecting standing crops, fodder and livestock in Sikkim last week, official sources said in Gangtok on Sunday. Two persons lost their lives in south district as the government decided to pay an exgratia compensation of Rs 50,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting attended by all four district collectors, top officials, zilla panchayat presidents and his cabinet colleagues here yesterday, asked the authorities concerned to distribute 40 kg of rice to all those affected within a week as immediate relief.
Chamling also directed the rural development department to start 'food for work' scheme in all affected areas of 159 gram panchayats under which schools and community playgrounds, including footpaths would be repaired.
Admissible amount of relief as per code would be made available to those whose livestock had perished and crops destroyed, the sources said.
The meeting also decided to depute senior officials to visit the affected areas to survey and assess the damage caused by the natural calamities.
The irrigation department was told to undertake cleaning of 'jhora' (drains cum springs) and repairing channel, forest department asked to take up plantation work and agriculture and horticulture directed to distribute seedlings and fertilisers in affected areas, they added. Bureau Report