Crops destroyed, roads blocked: Darang ex-MLA highlights devastation

Former MLA of Darang Assembly Constituency, Mandi district, Jawahar Thakur has raised concern over the lack of attention to the flood-ravaged region. He said while Seraj Assembly area faced the worst devastation, Darang suffered nearly 80 per cent damage, making it almost equally affected.

Calling this the “worst and longest monsoon of the century,” Thakur said cloudbursts, landslides and land cracks have left deep scars across Himachal Pradesh, especially in areas between 6,000-9,000 feet altitude. In Darang, crops such as apples, potatoes, cabbage and rajma have been completely destroyed.

He criticised both ruling and opposition leaders for ignoring the constituency. “Neither the MLA nor the MP has visited Darang,” he said, adding that senior officials too failed to assess the damage. While Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur distributed relief material, the former MLA urged him to do more. “Before elections, Jai Ram had said Darang was his responsibility — now is the time to prove it.”

Thakur highlighted devastation in Chauhar valley, Uttrasal-Kataula, Sanor (Aut sub-tehsil), and Bhadar, where many roads remain blocked and Kataula market faces collapse. He stressed that ration kits are no long-term solution and demanded urgent relief and rehabilitation measures. “This disaster demands action, not just sympathy,” he said.