The GTA has started holding meetings with tea garden managements to seek land for the rehabilitation of landslide victims, as most of the affected people belong to the plantations and don't possess land rights
The hill administrative body has taken the initiative to rehabilitate the victims from Mirik and the surroundings, who had lost their houses and are presently sheltered at temporary relief camps.
Devastating landslides had hit the Mirik subdivision on Sunday morning.
Arun Sigchi, an elected member of the GTA Sabha, along with Dewas Chhetri, the spokesperson for the hill body, held a meeting with the managements of Thurbo and Phuguri tea gardens. They identified the plots where the displaced families could be rehabilitated.
“We have discussed the rehabilitation of the displaced families of Mirik and Soureni. Initially, about 50 families are chosen for rehabilitation. But the steps are also taken to shift the residents of some landslide-prone areas. We have appealed to them to contact the administration and the rural body concerned so that necessary measures can be taken for their shifting,” Sigchi said.
Eleven people had died and 15 people had suffered injuries in the landslides in the Mirik subdivision. The injured were treated at the Mirik block primary health centre and some hospitals in Siliguri.
A total of over 150 families have taken shelter at relief camps in the Mirik municipality and the Mirik block so far. Fifty families of the civic area are sheltered at Mirik Bazar Community Hall.
In the Mirik block, 93 families are staying at Soureni Community Hall and 19 at Thurbo 9th Mile Community Hall.