Seraj relief package to be implemented in all disaster-hit areas of state: Sukhu

The disaster relief package announced for cloudburst-hit areas of Seraj in Mandi district will be implemented in the entire state, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the Vidhan Sabha here today while taking part in the five-day debate on the rain disaster moved under Rule 67 by the BJP.

Sukhu said that a letter had been written to the Central Government, seeking permission for the grant of one bigha of forestland to all those people whose houses had washed away and now they had no land to make new houses. He added that the package that had been announced would also cover the huge losses caused due to water released from the Pong Dam that damaged crops and houses in the low-lying areas of Kangra.

“Our government amended the Relief Manual, enhancing the compensation manifold for all kinds of damage, including Rs 7 lakh for totally damaged houses,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that the government was providing relief for all kinds of damage - homes, cowsheds cattle and household goods. Earlier, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi offered his reply during the five-day discussion on rain disaster under Rule 67 in the absence of the Opposition that had earlier announced to boycott him.

Negi launched a scathing attack on Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and said that the BJP members leave the House to satisfy the ego of the former Chief Minister. He added that the absence of the Opposition only reflected its non-seriousness on such a sensitive matter, as their only motive was to do politics.

Negi detailed the mitigation measures taken by the government from time to time as regards disaster management as part of preparedness. “Our effort has been to provide immediate relief to people, be it medical food or shelter. Our government amended the Relief Manual to enhance the compensation manifold,” he added.

The Revenue Minister cited reasons like climate change, global warming, illegal tree felling, unscientific muck dumping, localised atmospheric conditions resulting in heavy rain and resultant damage. “Most parts of Himachal are young fold mountains and they suffer damage during the monsoon. In the past, the monsoon damage was normally about Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 3,000 crore but in 2023, this figure crossed Rs 10,000 crore,” he said. He added that in August, the state had witnessed 17 per cent more rain than normal.

Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani, and MLAs Deep Raj, Vinod Sultanpuri, Pawan Kajal, Sanjay Awasthi, Randhir Sharma, Sanjay Rattan, DS Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Gaur and Janak Raj participated in the debate.