The 11 year old had lost both of his parent and his eight year old sister in the devastating floods
Guwahati: A man from Darjeeling has decided to sponsor the education of a child who had lost both parents during the floods in Sikkim.
11 year old Adon Khawas had lost both his parents Binod Khawas and Shanti Khawas and his eight-year-old sister as the waters swept away his house on October 4. Fortunately for Adon, he had stayed with his relative on that night. The incident occurred in the Rangpoo forest village of the Kalimpong district of West Bengal. Rangpoo forest village falls within the border area of both Sikkim and West Bengal.
Speaking to The New Indian, Lama stated that he would sponsor the education of the boy until his higher education. “Upon hearing the story, I was very emotional. I also got to know, that the boy only has his uncle who is also struggling financially and is a daily wage labour. As such, I have decided to sponsor his education,” said Sanjeev. He intends to bring the boy later to continue his higher education in Darjeeling after the next year by getting permission from the family.
Due to the Sikkim floods, the tourist economy in Darjeeling as well as Sikkim has been hit badly. Amid the struggling times, Lama has decided to extend his hand to help the boy.
Apart from the government’s attempts to rehabilitate, similar humanitarian efforts have been on full display in Sikkim as NGOs and civil society organisations have distributed food and other relief items in camps.
Earlier, On 4 October 2023, heavy rains caused the glacial South Lhonak Lake in Sikkim to breach its banks, causing a glacial lake outburst flood in the Teesta River. The flood reached the Teesta III Dam at Chungthang at midnight, before its gates could be opened, destroying the dam in minutes.