Homes, land lost, families of Seraj urge government for urgent rehabilitation

The families of Seraj in Mandi district that were affected by cloudbursts and resultant devastating flashfloods on June 30 have requested the state government for their immediate rehabilitation. The worst-hit panchayats of Kandi, Anah, Bada, Sharan, Thunag and Syanj, where many people lost their lives and homes, face an uncertain future.

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In Kandi panchayat, one house was completely destroyed while four others suffered partial damage. Four houses are facing existential threat due to instable land.

According to Netar Singh, pradhan of Kandi gram panchayat, the sliding zone at Devdhar village has made the area highly unsafe. “Four houses face high risk while nine families have been affected directly by the rain disaster. They must be rehabilitated at a safer location,” he says.

Anah panchayat also suffered significant damage. Three houses in the village were fully destroyed while 27 were partially damaged. Tara Chand, pradhan of the panchayat, said that more than 30 families had been impacted by cloudbursts and flashfloods. “Fortunately, most of the families have land to reconstruct homes but they need financial assistance to do so,” he adds.

In Bada panchayat, the situation is even more alarming. Four houses were destroyed and 40 others faced a serious existential threat, affecting at least 44 families. The panchayat residents fear more landslides may take place. They have urged the state government for timely intervention.

In Sharan panchayat, three houses were fully damaged while four others suffered partial damage, impacting 16 families. Local residents such as Khem Singh and Bharat Raj Thakur say that the area is now unsuitable for reconstruction work. “The land is no longer safe. We need to shift to a secure location immediately,” says Bharat Raj Thakur.

In Thunag, destruction has been extensive. As many as 45 houses were completely destroyed while 70 others were partially damaged. Similar reports have emerged from other areas in Thunag subdivision.

The data provided by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Mandi, paints a grim picture — 959 houses were damaged in Thunag alone, followed by 59 in Karsog, 45 in Dharampur, 56 in Gohar and 17 in Mandi Sadar.

The affected villagers such as Lal Singh, Nota Ram (Kandi), Parmanand, Dhand Dev (Anah), Kamal Dev and Guman Chand (Bada), Hansa Devi (Sharan) and Vimla Devi (Thunag) have unitedly urged the government to rehabilitate them. “We have lost our homes, belongings and land. Many of us have no land to rebuild houses. We appeal to the government to provide us land and financial help,” they add.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has already announced a financial aid of Rs 7 lakh to every affected family for rebuilding homes. He has assured the affected people that the state government, with help from the Central Government, will provide forestland to those who have no land to ensure their proper rehabilitation.

Besides, the Chief Minister has also announced that Rs 5,000 per month will be given to the affected families to rent accommodation for themselves. The district administration is collecting the details of damage caused in various areas, including to houses, cowsheds, shops and farmland, to compile the final list of the affected families.