Keonjhar: At least 12 persons from Odisha including five from Mayurbhanj district have been stranded for the last five days in Sikkim as landslides and heavy rain impacted the Himalayan state severely, damaging properties, disrupting road connectivity, power and food supplies and mobile networks in several areas.
Multiple landslides at various stretches in between Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, and the Chinese border (ice point or zero point) besides collapse of the vital Sanklang suspension bridge, resulted in the severing of connectivity to North Sikkim, leaving around 1,200-1,500 tourists from across India stranded.
Tapas Behera from Bisoi area of Mayurbhanj district came in contact with this correspondent after mobile network services resumed partially and urged the state government for help.
He said over phone that more than 12 natives of Odisha were among the tourists trapped in the northeastern state for the last five days. Due to disruption in road communication, severe shortage of food has led prices of essential items to skyrocket. So much so, said Behera, that they had to spend Rs50 to buy food items worth Rs10. Lack of money has also come as an impediment for their return.
Behera said he along with his wife Monalisa Sethi, son Abhigyan, his colleague Mayadhar Mahanta of Jashipur area and his wife Dharnika Mahanta was in Sikkim for summer vacation. However, on their way back, they were forced to stay in a hotel in Lachung for more than five days owing to inclement weather and landslides.
“People are saying that stranded tourists will be airlifted to Gangtok by helicopter. But we are worried because of the inordinate delay,” said Tapas.
With the schools set to reopen June 18 after the summer vacation, Monalisa and Dharnika, who are teachers, are worried about how to reach and join the school. Therefore, they have appealed to the Chief Minister and the state government to take appropriate measures to rescue them.
PNN