Landslide-hit Kangra villagers shifted to safer places

Our Correspondent

Kangra, June 23

The authorities have shifted the residents of Lahari village of the Shahpur Assembly segment to safer places after heavy rain triggered landslides in the region on Wednesday.

Shahpur SDM Jagan Thakur said today that huge debris from the hills near Lahari village had damaged three cowsheds. He said the villagers had been shifted to safer places. He said an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 each was given to the cowshed owners.

The SDM said PWD officials were clearing the debris with the help of JCBs. He said to restore the traffic on the Shahpur-Shali road, two JCBs were working to clear the debris.

Thakur said food and other amenities were provided to the affected villagers. He said they were told not to go back to Lahari village till the monsoon was over. The villagers had suffered losses due to landslides last year as well.

Kewal Singh Pathania, vice-chairman, HP State Forest Corporation, said he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister so that the affected families were permanently settled at safer places. He said he would urge the Chief Minister that these affected families should be provided special grant for the construction of their houses at the new place. He said there was no other option but to settle them permanently away from the landslide zone.

The villagers said last year they were shifted to safer places, but when there was no support from the government they moved back.

Sarween Choudhary, MLA, Shahpur, claimed that the issue was taken up with the Chief Minister a number of times, but to no avail.