Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Sikkim lawmakers paused for two minutes on July 21 to mourn 11 workers killed in a tunnel collapse. The disaster struck the under-construction NHPC Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project in Namchi district. The site at Jholungey in Samardung turned into a graveyard on Monday when 25 people were trapped underground. Rescue crews are still searching for the missing.
Speaker Mingma Norbu Sherpa led the tribute during the second day of the Budget Session. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang addressed the House about the tragedy. He confirmed the government will pay compensation to victims and families based on National Disaster Response Fund norms. The state already pledged an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Tamang noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to offer federal aid. The Chief Minister stated, "The state government was closely monitoring the rescue operation and extending all possible assistance to those affected."
NHPC officials blamed a methane gas pocket inside the rock. The buildup triggered an explosion that filled the shaft with toxic fumes. Once the silence concluded, the Assembly pushed through its agenda. Members passed bills for a State Medical Council and a private open schooling board. They also approved grants for the Water Resources and Public Health Engineering departments. Lawmakers expect to pass the final budget on July 23.
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