Milestones : Jun2010

1. 03Jun2010 : A meeting with H.E. Shri MK Narayanan, Governor of W. Bengal and Hon. M.P Shri Jaswant  Singh in Darjeeling.

7 members of STH met and apprised the Governor of W Bengal and the M.P of Darjeeling district on the prevailing landslide situation in the district and the need for a holistic, long term strategy to manage and mitigate the hazard.
In addition Mr Zion Lepcha of CHIBO village (a very vulnerable area in the vicinity of Kalimpong town) spoke on behalf of the villagers and submitted a petition to the dignitaries.

2. Completion of Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) work at CHIBO/PASHYOR villages.
STH had commenced CBDRM work in the above landslide prone villages in Jan2010 (see here). I am glad to state that we could :-

•  Sensitize the villagers about the landslide problem in their area and prepare them to live with the hazard in a more informed way.
• Train some 11 people in first aid and also provide them some basic first aid equipment (see here).
• Provide them with some basic rescue equipment in the 2nd week of Jun2010.
• Establish a rudimentary SMS based early warning system in the village.
  

3. Featured on Dave's Landslide Blog.
Dr David Petley's (Univ of Durham, UK) landslide blog is an authoritative documentation of landslides occurring all over the world and is read by almost all people working on landslide hazards . 
I am glad to state that STH has again featured on the blog here (see para 6).