Gangtok: Sikkim celebrated the 75th Republic Day in Gangtok honouring the bravehearts who lost their lives during the October 3 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in South Lhonak Lake, North Sikkim.
The Republic Day celebration was attended by Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay along with families of bravehearts late Dr. Pema Tenzing Lachungpa and late Dawa Lepcha who lost their lives in GLOF.
The two bravehearts were awarded with the Chief Minister’s Bravery Award posthumously along with a cash amount of Rs 5 lakhs which was received by the wives of two bravehearts.
Dr Pema who lost his life in the Teesta Stage 3 dam in Chungthang was the Chief Medical Officer as well as the Deputy General Manager of Sikkim Urja Limited. Dawa Lepcha was a contract staff at the Teesta Stage 5 dam site in Dikchu.
The Governor and the Chief Minister also handed certificate of appreciation on account of extraordinary contribution for relief and rescue operations during the GLOF to three Indian Army Colonels Amol Gill of 17th Mountain Division, Rajat Panwar of 27th Mountain Division and SK Chaudhary of 33 Corps.
Similarly, two Jawans of Eastern Air Command of Indian Air Force Air Commodore Manish V Patel and Group Captain Bibhudutta Jenamani were also felicitated. Three Indo Tibetan Border Police Inspector General of Police SR Roy, Deputy Inspector General RN Singh and Commandant Mukesh Yadav were also felicitated.
Three Border Roads Organization officials Chief Engineer Brigadier Manoj Gupta of Project Swastik, Colonel AK Dixit of 758 BRTF and Sanjay Dutt Dohbal of 107 RCC were also felicitated. While 4 officials of NHIDCL, one official from BSNL and one official of Indian Meteorological Department were also felicitated.
Similarly, President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service was awarded to IGP Checkpost Sonam Tenzing Bhutia IPS who was awarded on Independence Day 2022. DIGP Thakur Thapa IPS of Sikkim Armed Police was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service on Independence Day 2022.
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Deputy Chief Fire Officer Matthew Rai was awarded the Fire Service Medal for Meritorious Service on Republic Day, 2023. Three Home Guards and Civil Defence Sub Inspector Buddha Kumar Gurung, Security Assistant Ashish Sherpa and home guard Sandeep Rai were also felicitated.
Similarly, 14 state government bureaucrats were also awarded State Meritorious Service Award.
The celebration also had cultural events such as dances from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, and Sikkim. The event also had march past and pipe and brass band displays.
Also Read | EastMojo Investigation: How a hydropower boom turned into a Sikkim’s bane