Lahaul & Spiti DC distributes blankets & relief material to needy at Stingri
In an effort to support the underprivileged and disabled residents of the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti, the District Red Cross Society, led by Deputy Commissioner Rahul Kumar, distributed blankets and essential relief materials to the needy at Stingri village, near the district headquarters Keylong, in the Yurnath Panchayat on Wednesday.
Kumar, who is also the president of the District Red Cross Society, met with the disabled beneficiaries to assess their wellbeing and assured them that the district administration would continue to provide necessary relief materials regularly. He emphasised that efforts were being made to ensure that people in need, especially those living Below Poverty Line, would receive timely assistance, especially during the harsh winter months.
The District Welfare Department had identified 11 disabled persons in the region who urgently required essential items such as firewood for stoves, blankets and other necessary goods for the winter, he added.
He assured the public that these items would be delivered soon to the individuals.
Additionally, the administration planned to distribute relief materials to the disabled in other village panchayats across the Lahaul Valley to ensure they do not feel neglected or isolated in the community, he added.
Kumar also instructed departmental officers, employees and local panchayat representatives concerned to report any cold-weather emergency situations immediately to the District Disaster Management Authority to ensure that necessary facilities are provided without delay, preventing any inconvenience for the affected individuals.
Yurnath gram panchayat Pradhan Vijay Anand and area residents expressed gratitude towards the district administration for its timely and meaningful intervention.
One of the disabled beneficiaries, Sanjeev Kumar Sanju, also thanked the administration for the relief but raised concerns over the lack of disability-friendly toilet facilities.
In response, the DC issued immediate instructions to the Block Development Officer to ensure that Sanjeev and others in similar situations would receive the necessary toilet facilities to avoid any further discomfort during the cold weather. The DC was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner Sankalp Gautam, Tehsil Welfare Officer Rajesh, Child Development Project Officer Khushwinder Singh, Panchayat Pradhan Vijay Anand and the Panchayat Secretary.
