Flood fury: Himachal CM Sukhvinder Sukhu seeks immediate assistance from Centre

Shimla, July 21

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu sought immediate assistance from the Union government for the losses the state suffered due to flashfloods and landslides triggered by heavy rains while meeting the central team that has come to assess the damage here today.

The eight-member Central team is led by financial advisor, National Disaster Management Authority, Ravneesh Kumar.

The Chief Minister said the state should also get adequate financial help like the assistance provided by the Central Government to Uttarakhand during the disaster in Kedarnath in June 2013.

The Chief Minister said that as per guidelines of the Union Government, there was a provision of very little financial assistance and advocated that the Centre should provide financial assistance on a different pattern to Himachal Pradesh and other hill states considering their geographical conditions and high cost of construction.

“Due to heavy rains and floods, power, water supply schemes and road projects and bridges have been extensively damaged. It will take long time to restore these. In such a situation, the Central government will have to come forward to help Himachal to recover from this tragedy,” said Sukhu.

The Himachal Pradesh government has also written a letter to the Central Government for interim relief and a revised memorandum would be given after the monsoon.