Yet another tourist dies in Sandakphu, raises questions on safety

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 4 Dec 2024, Darjeeling: The death of yet another tourist on the way back from Sandakphu has raised the question of how safe it is to visit the highest point of Bengal, located at an altitude of 11,930 feet. 

With no medical facility within 39 km — a distance that too in treacherous terrain, too far in times of medical emergencies. 

This is the third tourist death this year alone while visiting Sandakphu. 28-year-old Ankita Ghosh of Kabi Mukunda Das road, South Dumdum, North 24-Parganas, along with three friends arrived at Maneybhanjyang on December 1. 

They visited Sandkphu on December 2. After halting for the night at Sandakphu, on December 3 they descended to Tumling, 18 km away on their way back and had checked into a trekker’s hut. They were scheduled to return to Kolkata on December 4. 

“At night, she went to her room after dinner. When she went to the washroom, she fell. We found her in an unconscious state,” stated Abhijit Pal. 

“We received information of the incident and immediately asked the Singhalila Land Rover’s Owners Association to help them out. The girl in an unconscious state was rushed to the Sukhiapokhri Block Primary Health Centre, 39 km away. Seeing her condition she was referred to the Darjeeling Sadar Hospital. 

At around 3:30 am, she was brought to the Darjeeling Sadar Hospital where she was declared brought dead,” stated Rajesh Chauhan, Deputy Chairman, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). 

An unnatural death case has been registered at the Darjeeling Sadar Police Station. A medical board was constituted by the Health department comprising 3 doctors for conducting a post-mortem examination at the Darjeeling Sadar Hospital, for ascertaining the exact cause of death. 

“Following the post-mortem, we (GTA) made all necessary arrangements for the body to be transported to Siliguri by an ambulance. From there they will continue to Kolkata,” added the Deputy Chairman, GTA. 

On November 19, 55-year-old Asish Bhattacharjee, a tourist from Bhawanipur, Kolkata, passed away while returning from Sandakphu at Dhotrey where he complained of respiratory problems. 

On May 26, Tanmoy Kundu, from Kaliaganj, North Dinajpur had put up at Tumling on the way to Sandakphu where he complained of illness, including respiratory problems and was declared brought dead at Sukhipokhri Hospital in the wee hours of May 27. 

On September 6, 2024, in a meeting with different stakeholders, the Darjeeling district administration decided on a mandatory health checkup for tourists visiting Sandakphu. Two back-to-back meetings of the district administration with different departments, GTA, police, Shashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and tourism stakeholders in Darjeeling on that day had come up with a number of proposals to enhance safety and security for the tourists visiting Sandakphu. 

Health issues are of major concern with most of the tourists arriving from the sea level and immediately going up to an altitude of 3636m without acclimatisation. A proposal was put forward for a mandatory health check up at Maneybhanjyang before starting the journey to Sandakphu. However, all this is yet to see the light of day. 

“We have issued an advisory (do’s and don’ts) for visitors. We will have a meeting soon to finalise things. We have plans to make health (fitness) certificates mandatory from January 2025 for visitors visiting Sandakphu which they will have to produce. 

As the Health department is under the GTA, we will ask them to set up a camp to deal with medical emergencies. We will also be training the guides accompanying tourists to Sandakphu, as a first response in case of medical emergencies,” stated Richard Lepcha, Sub Divisional Officer, Darjeeling. 

Manebhanjyang is the gateway to the famous trekking and tourist spot Sandakphu. It takes four hours to cover the 32 km distance by four-wheel drive vehicle. Sandakphu located in the Singalila National Park offers breathtaking views of Mount Everest, Mount Kanchenjunga and is a famous sunrise viewing spot and trekking route along with the area being a biodiversity hotspot. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cm-urges-international-filmmakers-to-collaborate-with-artistes-from-bengal-589451?infinitescroll=1