CPM seeks Rs 10K crore aid, wants rain fury declared national disaster

Shimla/hamipur, September 20

The CPM held a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office here today and urged the Central Government to declare the rain disaster in the state as a national calamity and announce a Rs 10,000 crore package.

The leaders of the local committee of the party reiterated that the state suffered unprecedented damage in the rain-related incidents during the monsoon. Hence, the Centre should declare it a national calamity.

The leaders said that the state needed additional funds, which it would get if the disaster is declared a national calamity. Funds were needed for repair and rehabilitation purpose. They claimed that the state had received no additional funds for relief except for the funds which were due under the State Disaster Response Fund.

In Hamirpur, CITU staged a protest rally at the Gandhi Chowk. CITU national Secretary Kashmir Singh Thakur said that the Central Government was intentionally neglecting disaster-affected people of the state and delaying a special relief package.

He said that the state had suffered heavy losses due to incessant rain last month. Thousands of people were rendered homeless and over 400 persons lost their lives but the Central Government did not declare the devastation as a national disaster.