‘Death Village’ to get a new address

Prithvijit Mitra,TNN | Jul 5, 2015,Mirik: The Mirik landslide has not only left more than 30 dead and thousands displaced from their homes, it could soon result in an entire village being relocated. Limbudhura village or Limbu Gaon at Tingling near Mirik, which was the worst affected by the landslide, is set to be shifted to a safer place where it will be relatively immune to landslides. More than a thousand residents of the village, who are now living at a relief camp five kilometres away, have made it clear to the district administration that they won't return unless they are accommodated at a location away from the edge of the hills where Limbudhura is now nestled. Meanwhile, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) men recovered three more bodies late on Friday, 8 km away from the disaster site. 

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), it is learnt, is already searching for a suitable land where homes could be constructed for Limbudhura residents. But it could take six months to build the homes, according to GTA officials. "We have already spoken to the Tingling tea-estate authorities and they have agreed to provide land. We are looking at colonies within the tea-estate where the villagers will be accommodated. The homes will be built and handed over to them. It will take a few months to work out the formalities of the land transfer. We are trying to do it as soon as possible," said Arun Sigchi, GTA member. 

Villagers are happy with the decision and are ready to wait till the end of monsoon. But they are not willing to risk their lives and return to their homes. "We are prepared to spend the next three months at the relief camp, though conditions are extremely trying here. There is enough space within the Tingling Tea-Estate that could be used. Even if all the homes can't be built at a single location, there could be multiple clusters. But the edges of hills have turned unsafe. Mounds of loose mud are still perched precariously on the brink of the hill right above our village. If they slide down, mo any more lives would be lost," said Began Thapa, a Limbudhura resident. The village is home to around 90 families. Four houses were washed away in the landslide that left 22 dead. Three from Limbudhura are still missing. 

There are enough vacant lands inside the Tingling tea-garden, pointed out villagers. The latter are even ready to move away from the area and settle at a new location "All we want is a piece of plain land at a safe distance from the hills. If the government can't construct the homes for us, we are ready to accept compensation and build the homes on our own. But we are not going to return to the hill-slopes anymore," said Nipen Khawas, another Limbudhura resident. 

Late on Friday evening the SSB and NDRF personnel recovered three dead bodies 8 km below the disaster spot. The dead were identified as members of Ramlal Sharma's family, none of whom are believed to have survived the landslide. While the corpses of Sharma's daughter and two grandchildren have now been recovered, two of his other grandchildren and Sharma himself are yet to be found. Incredibly, the bodies had been swept away to the Mechi river. 

The NDRF will launch a search downstream on Sunday. "More bides could have been washed away down the slopes. It seems there are no more bodies at the disaster site. We are now going to use electronic equipment to cut through the debris and clear them up quickly," said Sandeep Channan, commandant, NDRF.