Himachal CM Sukhu: All MPs must urge PM for grant of forestland to resettle disaster-hit families

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that all seven BJP MPs from the state should meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the earliest to seek approval for the allotment of forestland for the resettlement of the disaster-hit families, which had been rendered homeless.

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Sukhu, while talking to mediapersons here, said that notwithstanding the grave financial health of the state government, financial help would be extended to the disaster-hit families to help them rebuild their homes and start life afresh.

On his return from Mandi, the Chief Minister said that funds would not be a constraint in the resettlement of the affected families. He added that the Central Government must help in providing forestland to families who had lost all their land and houses in the flashfloods, as the state government’s land was not available in the vicinity of their damaged homes.

Sukhu said that besides him, all MPs and other BJP leaders could go together to meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to get approval for the grant of forestland for the resettlement of the affected families. “Our aim is not to take credit, so if they have a problem, the seven MPs can go on their own to get relief for the people of the state,” he added.

He said that the families affected by flashfloods in 2023, 2024 and the current monsoon season should also be covered for the allocation of forestland for house construction.

“I have told Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi to prepare a disaster relief package to be placed before the Cabinet so that we can provide financial help to the affected families and compensate them for all kind of losses, including of house, clothes, bedding and cattle,” he said.

Sukhu said that there was always a provision that constructions should be undertaken at a safe distance from the rivers. “After talking to all stakeholders, we want to bring a legislation in this regard but we have to take into account the fact that when these houses were built, there were no cloudbursts or flashfloods,” he added.

Sukhu said, “I along with my ministerial colleagues had visited the disaster-hit areas not to do politics but to provide relief to the affected families and rehabilitate them. I visited the flood-hit areas and when I was informed that there is a scarcity of food items there, I got ration delivered.” He added that Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh also visited the affected areas to assess the damage caused and order the restoration of roads and water supply at the earliest.

He said that 50 JCB machines had been deployed to open roads in the affected areas and the road up to Chail Chowk, Bagsiad, Thunag, Janjehli and Chhatri would be brought under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) so that it could be made a composite one.