Govt starts air dropping food packets in quake-hit Sikkim

New Delhi, Sept 19 (PTI) The Indian government on Monday
started air dropping of food to earthquake-affected people in
Sikkim amidst fears that some people may still be trapped
under the debris.
Two medical teams with doctors and paramedics reached
worst affected Mangan and Sangthan with the help of
helicopters and Border Roads Organisation has been able to
reopen the Himalayan state's life line-the National Highway
31-A, Union Home Secretary R K Singh told reporters here.
"We have started air dropping of food packets from
Siliguri (West Bengal). Purnia in Bihar also identified as
back up for food dropping. The West Bengal government has been
told to provide all help to the Sikkim government," he said at
a press conference here.
The Home Secretary said ten bodies of employees of
Teesta Hydro Electric Project were recovered from the debris
in Singtam.
Singh said nine helicopters were engaged in carrying out
rescue and relief operations -- mostly in worst-hit North
district -- despite poor weather and one team of doctors
reached Mangan and another Singtam through helicopters.
Asked whether there was a possibility of death toll going
up, the Home Secretary said nothing can be ruled out as people
may still be trapped under the debris of collapsed houses
since rescue teams have not been able to reach all villages.
"So we can not really rule out right now whether any more
person is dead. But since some time has already elapsed, I
think the possibility of toll increasing is thin but you can't
say about a hilly area, you can't say about an area which has
far flung villages," he said.
The Home Secretary said the Centre has advised the Sikkim
government to open relief camps for the benefit of earthquake
affected people.
The Army has already opened relief camps for 2,000 people
and ITBP for 400 others.
"In the entire operation, 5,500 army personnel were
engaged apart from 700 ITBP personnel. The BRO has done
commendable job by reopening the highway linking Gangtok with
Siliguri this afternoon," he said.
Singh said Sikkim Power Corporation has been able to
restore power supply partially while landline telephone
connections with Sikkim are functioning normally.
"Mobile phone connection with outside Sikkim working
though mobile service within the state has been affected. A
total of 28 per cent of mobile connections are
non-functional," he said.
The Home Secretary said the government has done an aerial
survey to ascertain the extent of damage but actual position
will emerge only when rescue team reach each and every
village.
Asked whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home
Minister P Chidambaram would make an aerial survey of the
affected areas, Singh said, "Our primary concern now is to
rescue all affected people and provide them relief".