Raising awareness on the severe landslide problem of this region and other environmental issues of the Himalayas has always been one of STH's main roles and so we have carried out literally hundreds of awareness programs not only in this region but also in Delhi, Kolkata, Gauhati and so on (all documented in this blog).
The COVID pandemic put an abrupt stop to our in person meetings but we did carry on using various online platforms.
With the pandemic restrictions being eased, we have resumed our outreach programs and this was one such event.
We have featured the landslides in Sindebung in many earlier blog reports (see
1,
2) besides taking media people, scientists, students and govt officials to the site.
I visited the village after several years, because of COVID restrictions and I was astonished to see the huge numbers of large new buildings and homes which have come up in the area but the plight of the landslide affected people remain unchanged.
I felt a sense of guilt, anguish and helplessness when the villagers who's homes are on the edge of the landslide again asked me to do 'something', lest all their assets and belongings disappear.
Praful Rao and the STH team
Kalimpong district
Darjeeling - Sikkim Himalaya
