Gangtok: It is nearly a month since an earthquake measuring 6.9 in the Richter scale struck Sikkim bringing death and destruction to strategically located state on the India-China border. Reconstruction and rebuilding process is on but key military positions and villages along the Indo-China border are still cut off.
With winter approaching, stocking of rations is proving a nightmare.
Many roads, vanished in the September 18 earthquake, need to be rebuild; mountains made unstable by the earthquake continue to trigger landslides and clearing them up has become a 24 hour job.
The crucial Jawaharlal Nehru Marg that connects Nathu La pass to rest of the country isn't yet open to heavy vehicles yet. Places beyond Chungthang on the Lachen and Lachung are still cut off.
And crucial military positions like "Plateau" - the only place on the Indo-China border where India has a toe-hold on the Tibetan Plateau - are still cut off.
Left with no other way to reach the forward positions, the Indian Army is driving small trucks laden with supplies through this an under construction shaft meant to divert water from the Teesta to the turbines of the Teesta -3 hydo-electrict project.
Helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Indian Army continue to air-drop supplies.
As reconstruction continues, the big question that New Delhi faces is: How will forward positions be supplied through the winter months?
With winter approaching, stocking of rations is proving a nightmare.
Many roads, vanished in the September 18 earthquake, need to be rebuild; mountains made unstable by the earthquake continue to trigger landslides and clearing them up has become a 24 hour job.
The crucial Jawaharlal Nehru Marg that connects Nathu La pass to rest of the country isn't yet open to heavy vehicles yet. Places beyond Chungthang on the Lachen and Lachung are still cut off.
And crucial military positions like "Plateau" - the only place on the Indo-China border where India has a toe-hold on the Tibetan Plateau - are still cut off.
Left with no other way to reach the forward positions, the Indian Army is driving small trucks laden with supplies through this an under construction shaft meant to divert water from the Teesta to the turbines of the Teesta -3 hydo-electrict project.
Helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Indian Army continue to air-drop supplies.
As reconstruction continues, the big question that New Delhi faces is: How will forward positions be supplied through the winter months?
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