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Bhaichung appeals sports fraternity to hold charity matches for flood-hit Sikkim
Bhutia said he has joined hands with the Association of Conservation of Tourism (ACT) which will be organising events to raise funds
Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Sunday appealed to members of the international sports fraternity to organise charity matches for people affected by the October 4 flash floods in his home state Sikkim.
Bhutia, who is also the president of Hamro Sikkim Party, said: “We appeal to citizens of India and the world to not just donate but also organise charity matches and help those whose lives were devastated by the Teesta river in Sikkim and parts of West Bengal.”
Bhutia said he has joined hands with the Association of Conservation of Tourism (ACT) which will be organising events to raise funds.
Also Read: Sikkim’s aboriginal inhabitants suffer major damage in flash flood
“I appeal to people of this world and especially my colleagues in the field of sports to come forward and support the cause,” he said.
ACT secretary Raj Basu said, “We have started a campaign called Play for Teesta. We plan to hold events in every state of India. We request citizens to come forward.”
This is not the first time the ace footballer has come forward to help marooned people. Bhutia helped NGOs organise charity events when Sikkim was hit by a devastating earthquake in September 2011.
The floods occurred in the early hours of October 4 when a glacial lake at south Lhonak overflowed following torrential rain. The Teesta River destroyed human habitations, an army camp, several hydel power projects and important roads, including NH-10, the state lifeline.
The death toll stood at 55 till Saturday evening. The Sikkim government said 26 bodies were recovered in the small Himalayan state while 29 more were fished out of rivers in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts of Bengal.
“At least 143 people are still missing. As many as 2565 people have been affected and 1170 houses were damaged. We have rescued 2413 people,” Bikash Basnet, press secretary to Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang, said on Saturday.
The recent catastrophe is being compared to the floods and landslides Sikkim witnessed in 1968 when a few hundred people died.
