5 migrant labourers killed in Una flashflood

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, August 11

Over Rs 100 crore damage was caused to Bathu Bathri industrial area in Una district today due to a flashflood in local rivulet. Sources said that after heavy rain throughout the night, local rivulet in Bathu Bathri area of Una witnessed a flashflood. About five migrant labourers living in a slum near the rivulet were killed after being trapped in flashflood. Till the filing of this report three dead bodies were retrieved by the Una district administration. Water entered the industrial units located along the rivulet and caused massive damage. The sources said that maximum damage was caused in Vardhman Industries, Preetika Auto industries, Uphar Cable and Escon industry. Besides, many small scale units were inundated in the flashflood.

Joint Director Industries, Anshul Dhiman, who reached the affected industrial area, said the flashflood in Bathu Bathri rivulet caused massive damage to public and private infrastructure in the area. “A damage of about Rs 100 crore has been caused in the Bathu Bathri industrial area. We are trying to help the affected industrial areas,” he said.

Dhiman also said that five deaths were reported in the flashflood. The deceased were the migrant labourers living in slum area along the Bathu Bathri rivulet.

Rakesh Kaushal, president of the Tahliwal, Bathu Bathri industrial association, said that massive damage has been caused as water inundated many industrial units in the area following flashflood in a local rivulet. “We had been demanding that the Bathu Bathri rivulet that passes through the industrial area should be channelised. Though most of the tributaries of Swan river in the area have been channelised, the rivulets in industrial area have not been channelised. We are again making demand from the government that Bathu Bathri rivulet should channelised so that the no such incident happens in future,” he said.

Kaushal also alleged that the local rivulet changed courses due to illegal mining in the area.

Bathu Bathri area falls in the Assembly constituency of Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri. When asked, Agnihotri said that NDRF teams have been requested to help in the rescue operations.