The Kalimpong district administration and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) distributed housing grants to 64 flood-hit families in the Teesta Bazar area of Kalimpong on Saturday.

Their homes were washed away or damaged during the flood in the Teesta in October 2023 in the wake of the glacial lake outburst flood in South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim.

On Saturday, a function was organised at the community hall in Teesta Bazaar, located around 50 kilometres away from here. At the event, Sekhar Chaudhary, the additional district magistrate of Kalimpong, Sinora Namchu, an executive member of the GTA, and others handed over the grants to the affected families.

“After the flood, the district administration took the initiative with the GTA to compensate the affected families. So far, around ₹2.38 crore has been distributed among 434 (including today’s 64) families,” said Sangmit Lepcha, the pradhan (chief) of the Teesta gram panchayat.

After the natural disaster which affected areas like Krishnagram, Melli and Teesta Bazar in Kalimpong district, the administration and the GTA conducted a survey to identify families who turned homeless and also those whose houses were partially damaged.

In due course, funds were allocated to compensate the victims. “Those who lost their houses were paid a grant of ₹75,000 while those whose houses got partially damaged were paid ₹5,000,” said a source.

Bishal Rai, a member of the Teesta disaster management committee, said among the families which got the assistance, around 90 percent have lost their houses.

“The GTA has carried out repairs in some of the houses which got partly damaged. After the flash flood, the GTA also provided temporary shelter to the families and have even paid house rents to some families for six months,” said Rai.

Sources said that the Kalimpong district administration has planned a fresh survey to find out whether any affected family has been left out of the list of people eligible for the financial assistance.

“Complaints have found their way to the GTA that some of the affected families have not received the assistance so far. That is why the new survey has been planned so that no one is left out,” said a source.