Anit Thapa, the chief executive Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has decided to extend support to Arnima Rai and her brother Niten, two orphaned siblings from Mirik whose houses were damaged in a landslide during the Sunday deluge.

Thapa met the siblings Arnima, 17 and her elder brother Niten, 19 at a relief camp in Mirik on Thursday.

“I met the kids today (Thursday). It will be my responsibility to ensure that they have not only food, shelter and clothing but also proper education,” said Thapa.

The siblings lost their parents in 2022. While their mother Sabita, a worker of Thurbo tea garden died in January of a stomach ailment, their father Jiten, a Group-D employee at the GTA, died in October of the same ailment.

Since then, Arnima and Niten lived alone in the house that was razed on Sunday.

The siblings survived on rice provided through the public distribution system, vegetables given by neighbours and a monthly district administration dole of ₹4,000.

"Till a permanent house is built for them, we will arrange rented accommodation for their stay. Their safety is also my personal responsibility,” said Thapa.

Arbin Subba, a resident from Mirik, had on Wednesday volunteered to fund the siblings' education and rebuild their house.

“I, too, have lost my parents and I know the pain and uncertainty that they must be going through,” Subba said on Wednesday.

"I still stand by my commitments,” Subba said on Thursday.

Arnima had dropped out of school after she became orphaned. Her brother Niten is a Class XI student at Thurbo Higher Secondary School in Mirik.

“I lost everything, my textbooks, uniforms, everything, in the landslide. The only thing left with us is the set of clothes that we are wearing now,” Niten had said on Wednesday.

Following reassurances from Thapa and Subba, Arnima said she also wanted to resume her studies now and "make something of my life".