By IANS,
Gangtok: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday distributed relief material and interacted with affected people during a day’s visit to quake devastated Sikkim.
Banerjee, accompanied by party leader and union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy, reached the tiny Himalayan state Tuesday afternoon by road from Siliguri after passing through several stretches affected by landslides that followed Sunday evening’s quake that measured 6.8 on the Richter scale.
At least 50 people have so far perished in Sikkim due to the calamity, that severely hit its North district. Large parts are still inaccessible and fresh landslides have been reported.
Banerjee went around Lumsey, a residential area in the capital which has been affected. She spoke to the locals and tried to ascertain their needs.
She then visited the Central Referral Hospital, Manipal, and talked to the injured admitted there.
She distributed medicines, water pouches and other relief materials.
Banerjee rounded off the trip with a meeting with her Sikkim counterpart Pawan Chamling.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has decided to send a medical team Wednesday to north Sikkim’s Mangan, which has borne the brunt of the devastation.
All members of the team have experience in trekking and so would have no problem in tackling the hilly terrain left devastated by the quake, said Youth Services Minister Ujjwal Biswas.
“They will carry medicines and some other supplies. If they run out of stocks, then they will come back to Siliguri and replenish it,” he said.
Five mountaineers have been assigned to help them.