Amitava Banerjee, Hindustan Times Darjeeling, September 21, 2011
Preliminary reports of the Darjeeling District Administration pegged the damage caused by the 6.8 magnitude quake in the Darjeeling district in West Bengal at three thousand and four hundred crore Rupees. "We have made a preliminary assessment of the damages. It is to the tune of
approximately and includes the assessment by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council of three thousand crore Rupees for the Darjeeling district", Saumitra Mohan, district magistrate Darjeeling told HT.
The damages include houses partially and fully damaged, roads, "Jhoras" (springs with embankments) and water supply lines.
"Around 2,802 houses are fully damaged and 52,900 houses partially damaged in the district", stated the Officer-in-charge of the Relief Department, Darjeeling.
Meanwhile the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has also decided to send a Central Committee team to Sikkim in a day or two to meet chief minister Pawan Chamling. The GJM has also decided to conduct its own assessment of the damages caused by the quake in the three hill sub divisions of Darjeeling district.
"We will form a survey team to access the damage and hand over the report to the state government within a week. All GJM local committees will access the damages in their respective areas and report to this survey team based on which the report will be prepared", stated Bimal Gurung, President, GJM.
The survey team will include the 4 GJM MLAs. The GJM has demanded that a National Disaster Management unit should be stationed in the Darjeeling Hills at least during monsoons.
North Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb has requested the Siliguri Municipal Corporation not to sanction any plans for new constructions in the Siliguri Municipal areas.
"Building rules are not being followed. I will be meeting the Muncipal Affairs minister and request him that building rules are implemented stringently. Meanwhile we will be inviting a team of experts from IIT Roorkee so that they can advice us on future constructions and restoration work", stated Deb.
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Quake-damages-in-the-Darjeeling-pegged-at-Rs-3400-Crores/Article1-748310.aspx
Preliminary reports of the Darjeeling District Administration pegged the damage caused by the 6.8 magnitude quake in the Darjeeling district in West Bengal at three thousand and four hundred crore Rupees. "We have made a preliminary assessment of the damages. It is to the tune of
approximately and includes the assessment by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council of three thousand crore Rupees for the Darjeeling district", Saumitra Mohan, district magistrate Darjeeling told HT.
The damages include houses partially and fully damaged, roads, "Jhoras" (springs with embankments) and water supply lines.
"Around 2,802 houses are fully damaged and 52,900 houses partially damaged in the district", stated the Officer-in-charge of the Relief Department, Darjeeling.
Meanwhile the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) has also decided to send a Central Committee team to Sikkim in a day or two to meet chief minister Pawan Chamling. The GJM has also decided to conduct its own assessment of the damages caused by the quake in the three hill sub divisions of Darjeeling district.
"We will form a survey team to access the damage and hand over the report to the state government within a week. All GJM local committees will access the damages in their respective areas and report to this survey team based on which the report will be prepared", stated Bimal Gurung, President, GJM.
The survey team will include the 4 GJM MLAs. The GJM has demanded that a National Disaster Management unit should be stationed in the Darjeeling Hills at least during monsoons.
North Bengal Development minister Gautam Deb has requested the Siliguri Municipal Corporation not to sanction any plans for new constructions in the Siliguri Municipal areas.
"Building rules are not being followed. I will be meeting the Muncipal Affairs minister and request him that building rules are implemented stringently. Meanwhile we will be inviting a team of experts from IIT Roorkee so that they can advice us on future constructions and restoration work", stated Deb.
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Quake-damages-in-the-Darjeeling-pegged-at-Rs-3400-Crores/Article1-748310.aspx