Stating that engineers are the backbone of any place, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has called for qualitative work so that Sikkim can one day boast of the best roads and infrastructure. Mr Chamling was addressing the Sikkim Infrastructure Developers’ Summit organized by the Roads and Bridges Department of the state government at Manan Kendra here on Tuesday.

The CM said this was the first programme of its kind that he had attended in the state, and added that the objective was to address the various issues concerning infrastructure development in Sikkim and the manifold aspects surrounding it. “Environment is a very crucial aspect and thus any new structure or project needs to have plantations and greenery around it on completion,” the CM said.

The CM further appealed to the engineers and contractors to work hand in hand for the development of the state and appealed to them to conduct qualitative work. “Field visits should be mandatory for all levels of engineers so that complete supervision of work is done and contractors on their part should also do concrete work, failing which they themselves would be responsible for restoring it for the next five years,” he added.

According to him, every Gram Panchayat Unit should come up with a plan to make their village self-sufficient and self-reliant in the fields of tourism, power, organic farming and others. The CM further declared that all requests for ‘Cadre Review’ will be taken up and case of regularization of Acting Assistant Engineers will be initiated soon.

He also said that no further appointment of supervisors would be done for the next 10 years and that all untrained supervisors should be trained immediately. He said that the state government’s policies and directives have been framed for inclusive growth so that the environment of the state is conducive for development.

Mr Chamling also stressed on each person having a sense of ownership and responsibility and said that all ongoing works should be completed by 31 March this year. On the occasion, Naytook Lepcha, Jr Engineer (Civil), Roads and Bridges Department, was presented with an ‘Appreciation Letter’ by the Chief Minister for improvising the “pontoon raft” for ferrying public relief materials and construction materials to the affected areas at Mantam during the Mantam lake disaster in 2016.

A massive landslide in Mantham in North Sikkim blocked the Kanaka river and created an artificial lake, while also damaging roads and a bridge there and submerging at least five houses in August 2016. The Roads and Bridges Department also launched the GPS Navigation App that will “connect and discover places, give updates on new roads, new bridges, and explore local places.”