Treasury, Opposition Benches trade charges on disaster relief

The Treasury and Opposition Benches traded charges during a debate on disaster relief as the Congress MLA from Shahpur Kewal Singh Pathania and BJP MLA from Sundernagar Rakesh Jamwal moved a motion under Rule 130 in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Thursday to discuss the hardships being faced by disaster-affected people across the hill state.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that around 1,800 families had lost their homes in the recent monsoon devastation, yet BJP legislators were “raising questions about one or two individuals”. He urged the BJP to issue a white paper on the funds collected and spent for disaster-related assistance. Negi asserted that the government had been working continuously on relief and rehabilitation works despite the magnitude of destruction.

Earlier, Kewal Singh Pathania said the state experienced one of the most severe monsoon disasters, lasting over three-and-a-half months. He said widespread destruction across Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Kangra and Hamirpur districts had “shaken the entire state”, resulting in the loss of more than 500 lives.

Pathania praised Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Cabinet ministers and officials for reaching ground zero and leading rescue operations. He, however, accused the Central government of delaying the immediate release of financial assistance despite the scale of the calamities and devastation.

Countering the claims of the ruling party, BJP MLA Rakesh Jamwal alleged that the state government was politicising the disaster instead of addressing genuine grievances of the people.

He alleged that Himachal Pradesh had received Rs 4,500 crore under the disaster funds from the union government, but the state government was not willing disclose where these funds had gone. Jamwal claimed that many disaster-affected families had received no help. He said the BJP was the first to provide tents, rations and essential supplies to the victims.

Expressing concern over the government’s insensitive attitude, he said Mandi district, with over 50 deaths, suffered the worst damage, yet the government was planning a ‘celebration’ in Mandi on December 11 to showcase their works and vision.

He further alleged that the state government had stopped the release of MLA Area Development Funds, which has affected the ongoing relief works in various constituencies.