Homage paid to victims of Summer Hill tragedy
Shimla, August 14
A year after a landslide killed 20 people in the Shiv Bawdi area of Summer Hill in Shimla, bereaved family members, relatives and local residents turned up at the incident site today to pay homage to the deceased. Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, local MLA Harish Janartha and Shimla MC Mayor Surender Chauhan also paid tributes to the victims of the tragedy.
On this day last year, several people had gathered at the Shiv mandir to offer payers early in the morning. Around 7.30 am, a massive landslide smashed the temple, burying 20 people under the debris. It’s been a year since the incident but the affected people are still struggling to put their lives back on track.
“I lost my mother in the tragedy. No matter how much time passes, it’s impossible to recover from this loss,” said Neha Chaudhary, who is married in Delhi. “With the mother gone, I am always worried about my father who lives here alone,” said the teary-eyed woman.
Two elderly persons, both of whom had lost their young sons in the tragedy, also turned up to pay tributes to the departed souls. “There can’t be a bigger setback than losing your son at this age. We are struggling to cope with the loss but we have to stay strong for the family,” they said.
A plaque has been placed in the memory of the deceased at the site. — TNS
