Rain damage in Kangra, Chamba worth Rs60 cr

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 11

Heavy rains have led to damages worth Rs 60 crores in Kangra PWD circle that includes Kangra and Chamba district. Chief Engineer PWD, SK Ganju said the maximum damage had been caused to roads in various parts of Chamba and Kangra districts. A bridge has been damaged in Tuhati, a tribal area of Chamba district.

Though the Chief Engineer said the maximum damage had been caused to roads, many buildings have also suffered damage due to rains. The male ward of zonal hospital in Nurpur witnessed huge seepage problem that has raised question mark over the quality of construction.

New building of the Government College, Shahpur, in which the Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) was functioning, developed cracks and its floors have sunk. PWD authorities have attributed damage to poor maintenance of the building that was constructed only seven years ago. Besides the government buildings, many private houses in rural areas have been damaged during the monsoon.

While the state government will seek compensation to public infrastructure due to rains from the union government, there was no provision to compensate the poor rural people for the damage to their property due to rains or other climatic reasons.

Threat was looming over the people living along the river bed of Beas downstream of Pong Dam. As the water level in Pong Dam was increasing there were chances that the BBMB might release water.