Mangan district holds coordination meeting on resettlement of affected families of Toong Naga

MANGAN, (IPR): The Mangan district administration convened a coordination-cum-public meeting on the rehabilitation of GLOF-affected residents of Toong-Naga village Saturday at Rel Purtam in Upper Naga.

The meeting aimed to review ongoing rehabilitation initiatives, address pending challenges and ensure a coordinated, inter-departmental approach for the long-term resettlement of the affected families.

The meeting was jointly chaired by minister-cum-area MLA Samdup Lepcha and minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha.

Sikkim Welfare Commission chairman Nim Tshering Lepcha, in his welcome address, highlighted the severe devastation caused to Toong-Naga following the GLOF, which resulted in the complete loss of homes, land and livelihoods. He expressed deep gratitude to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang for the timely allocation of rehabilitation land for the affected residents. He also outlined the vision to develop the new location as a model village with a tourism-centric approach, considering its unique geographical advantage. He further explained the need for close coordination among all line departments for the rehabilitation process.

Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha expressed solidarity with the affected residents, acknowledging the emotional and physical hardships endured. He conveyed heartfelt appreciation to the Chief Minister for his unwavering support. He urged the public to participate actively in developing and safeguarding the new settlement, reminding them that proper planning today would ensure lasting security tomorrow.

Minister Samdup Lepcha, commended the collective strength and unity demonstrated by the people of Toong-Naga during the crisis. He acknowledged the immense challenges faced during the rehabilitation approval process and announced that the resettlement plan has now been formally sanctioned.

He informed that new houses will be constructed under Punar Awas Yojana and Sikkim Garib Awas Yojana, following the submission of DPRs by the concerned departments. He encouraged all departments to collaborate closely and emphasised that despite the tragedy, the new location offers an opportunity for a fresh start and improved living conditions. He thanked the Chief Minister for ensuring coordinated state-level support and prioritising the welfare of North Sikkim.

Rural Development secretary Anil Raj Rai, in his brief address, expressed optimism that the official procedures would be completed soon followed by the DPR for the new settlement. Expressing his solidarity to the affected families, the Secretary assured that the Rural Development department would lend all necessary support to the project.

Earlier, Mangan DC Anant Jain provided a detailed account of the land acquisition process and the timeline of disasters that impacted Toong-Naga. He recalled the GLOF incident of October 2023, followed by the cloudburst in June 2024 and the subsequent large-scale subsidence from September 2024 onwards, which progressively destroyed homes, agricultural land and infrastructure.

He informed that immediate relief was provided to affected families, but emphasised the need for a long-term resettlement solution.

Acting on the directions of the Chief Minister to expedite the process without departmental delays, a total of 12.76 hectares of land at Sano Bhojoghari, which is situated above Naga, has been successfully acquired as the new rehabilitation site, informed the district collector.

RDD additional chief architect Siddharth Rasaily stressed the importance of thorough land profiling, road stability assessment, and preparation of a DPR.

Toong-Naga residents Ongmit Lepcha and Passang Targay Lepcha spoke on behalf of the affected families, expressing both their grievances and gratitude to the Government for its consistent assistance.

Tourism department chairman Sonam Norgay Lachungpa recommended incorporating tourism-centric planning into the rehabilitation master plan. He suggested adopting traditional architectural styles, preserving the natural landscape and creating traditional walking trails instead of concrete pathways. This, he said, would enhance tourism potential and generate livelihood opportunities.

SREDA chief engineer-cum-director Jeewan Thapa proposed establishing a 200 kW Micro-grid solar panel system to ensure 24x7 power backup for the new settlement. Initially conceptualised for Dzongu, Lachen and Lachung, he affirmed that the project could also be extended to Toong–Naga.