Sikkim - The Purbottar

07 Apr

Heavy Snow Disrupts Lachen–Donkyla Route, Evacuation Efforts Ongoing

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

Efforts to clear heavy snow along the Lachen–Donkyla–Shiv Mandir stretch continued on Monday, but authorities could not fully restore the route due to bad weather conditions, officials said. A joint operation involving the Indian Army, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) was carried out to remove thick snow deposits and open the road for stranded tourists in Lachen. However, continuous snowfall and harsh weather made the task difficult, forcing teams to halt operations before completion. Officials said the clearance work will begin again early Tuesday morning, depending on weather conditions.Several tourists remain stranded in…

07 Apr

New Three-Year Contract Boosts Army Supply Chain in Sikkim

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

A delegation of the Denzong Agricultural Co-operative Society (DACS) held a high-level meeting with officials of the Indian Army at the Eastern Command headquarters in Kolkata on April 6 to finalise supply rates for the current financial year.The DACS team was led by Satish Chandra Rai and included senior officials of the cooperative and the state government. The meeting was chaired by Major General Sandeep Sinha of the Army Service Corps (ASC), Eastern Command, and attended by senior officers and finance officials from the Ministry of Defence.Officials said the main focus of the meeting was to negotiate rates for the…

07 Apr

Tourists Evacuated from Snow-Blocked Routes in North Sikkim

riya EditorSikkim

Authorities have launched a coordinated operation to evacuate tourists stranded from snow-blocked routes by clearing he thick layer of snow along Lachen- Donkyla-Shiv Mandir axis in north Sikkim However, the work could not be completed on Monday owing to adverse weather conditions, delaying immediate restoration of connectivity. “Despite best efforts by the Indian Army and Border Roads Organization (BRO) in coordination with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and local stakeholders, the route could not be cleared for safe passage of tourists lodged in Lachen,” officials said. The efforts to clear the snow are being resumed from Tuesday, it was…

02 Apr

CM seeks peace, strength and prosperity for Sikkim during temple visit

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday joined Governor Om Prakash Mathur to offer prayers at Hanuman Tok on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, seeking blessings for the people of the state.The Chief Minister said he visited the temple in the morning and took part in prayers in a calm and spiritual setting. He said the occasion was important and gave an opportunity to pray for strength and guidance. In a message shared after the visit, Tamang said prayers were offered for courage to face challenges, wisdom to follow the right path, and the ability to serve people with…

02 Apr

School shutdowns may hurt access for poor students, calls decision “short-sighted”

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

A social activist has strongly criticised the Sikkim government’s recent decision to shut down 17 government-run primary schools, saying the move could harm access to education for children from weaker sections.In a press statement, Pravin Sharma (Upreti), a social activist, said the decision does not reflect the ground realities faced by students, especially those from disadvantaged families who depend on government schools not only for education but also for basic support.He said the government appears to have taken the step without a proper and detailed assessment of the reasons behind low student enrollment. According to him, issues such as poor…

28 Mar

Tourism Leaders Focus on Sustainable Growth and Regional Branding at Week-Long

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

The North East India Tourism Confederation successfully concluded its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Tourism Convention 2026, held from March 22 to 27 across Namsai, Anini, and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. The week-long event brought together tourism stakeholders from all eight Northeastern states with a common aim to promote the region as a major global tourism destination. The AGM, held on March 22, saw participation from 24 Executive Committee members representing different states. During the meeting, key organisational matters were discussed, and a new leadership team was elected through a democratic process. Tsering Wange was elected as President, while E.…

27 Mar

Indian Railways Begins Final Survey for Gangtok–Nathu La Railway Line

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

Indian Railways has started the final location survey for a proposed railway line that will connect Gangtok with Nathu La in Sikkim, marking another step in expanding rail connectivity in the Himalayan state. The latest survey comes after the completion of a similar exercise for the 34.7 km Rangpo–Gangtok railway section. Officials said the new study will help determine the exact alignment, technical feasibility and cost estimates for the Gangtok–Nathu La stretch, which is seen as strategically and economically important. According to a report by The Times of India, construction work on the proposed line is expected to begin within…

26 Mar

Pakyong District Begins Nomination Process for Sikkim Civic Polls

riya EditorSikkim

The nomination process for the General Municipal Election 2026 in Pakyong district is ongoing at the District Administrative Centre (DAC), with the fourth day of filing taking place on Thursday. The first nomination was submitted by Sancha Maya Tamang, representing the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), for the 05 Dikling–Chalamthang Ward within the Pakyong Nagar Panchayat. The submission was made at the office of the Assistant Municipal Returning Officer-cum-Additional District Collector, Pulkit, who then administered the oath of affirmation to the candidate. The nomination filing hours are set from 11 am to 3 pm and will remain open until March 30,…

25 Mar

SMWA Athletes Meet Governor After National Championship Success

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

A group of athletes from the Sikkim Masters Weightlifting Association (SMWA), along with medal winners from the 5th National Masters Weightlifting Championship 2026, met the Governor of Sikkim on Tuesday in Gangtok. The delegation was led by SMWA President Lakpa Sherpa. The team had recently taken part in the national-level championship and delivered a notable performance, marking an important step for masters weightlifting from the state. During the meeting, the Governor welcomed the athletes and congratulated them for their achievements at the national event. He acknowledged their effort and discipline, noting that their performance was a matter of pride for…

24 Mar

Discovery Boosts Sikkim’s Known Dragonfly and Damselfly Count to 93

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

A recent scientific study has reported 11 species of dragonflies and damselflies, together known as odonates, for the first time from the Sikkim Himalaya, bringing fresh attention to the region’s rich but still less-studied insect diversity. The findings have been published in the international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences, one of the oldest scientific journals in the country. Researchers said the discovery adds important new information to the understanding of biodiversity in the Himalayan region. The study was carried out by Neera Rawat, a Ph.D. scholar in the Department of Zoology at…