Himachal: Sukhu visits rain-affected apple belt
SHIMLA: Alarmed over the reports of damages to the roads and link roads due to torrential rains in the apple-belt, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday reached Chopal and later headed for Jubbal-Kotkhai, to assess the losses in the next two days.
The chief minister said the wide-spread rains, which have broken all previous records, have not only hit the back-bone of the tourism industry but also potentially rich the apple economy.
“We will ensure that all roads and link roads damaged by the rains are restored for movement and transportation. Every single apple produced in the area will be ensured to reach the market in time”.
He alleged that the BJP had done a lot of propaganda against the government for inability to restore the road connectivity resulting in loss to the orchardists who could not transport their apples.
Some fake videos showing orchardists dumping their apples in the rivulet were also uploaded on social media. But, the facts are contrary. He said that the state government would provide all possible assistance to the rain affected families. Sukhu directed the district administration and the local officers to provide immediate assistance to the families affected and directed the public works department to float short term tenders immediately for restoration of roads so that the farmers may not face any hindrance to transport their produce to the markets.
He said that it was being considered to increase the rate of scald apples, to further benefit the apple growers.
The chief minister said that Rs 70 crore would be spent for the strengthening of Chhaila-Yashwant Nagar road which is the lifeline of the people of the area and an alternative route towards Solan and Chandigarh.
The chief minister asked the officers at Chopal to expedite the repair and restoration works of roads and directed to provide compensation of rupees one lakh each to the affected families immediately.
He further directed to release Rs 2 crore for the restoring road connectivity for Chopal division and Rs 50 lakh for the Sainj sub division of Theog, while Rs 1.50 crore has been allocated already.
He said that the state government was consistently working to restore the road connectivity in the apple belts and has released Rs 110 crore to restore the link roads in the apple growing regions of state.
He said link roads have been washed out at many places due to natural calamity and it would take significant time to restore them and urged the people to cooperate in this hour of need.
The Chief Minister appealed to the people to join hands with the government help in constructing temporary roads to facilitate the commuting of vehicles ferrying the apple produce and the State Government will suitably compensate them.
He directed to shift the Kudi village in Chopal Assembly segment and identify the suitable land for its rehabilitation, which has been sinking due to heavy rains the area witnessed recently. The State Government would also provide financial assistance to rebuild their houses, he remarked.
Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and Education Minister Rohit Thakur have been constantly visiting the affected areas in Shimla district and were updating me regularly, he said.
In the recent devastation, Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses to a tune of approximately Rs. 8000 crore.
The Chief Minister said that the calamity has caused enormous damage in all the regions of the State and it was the biggest catastrophe witnessed in the last 50 years. Though the state government has inherited huge debt from the previous BJP Government, yet, it will not allow any shortage of funds to help the families which suffered losses due to nature’s fury, said the Chief Minister. He said that funds would be made available to install retaining walls to stabilize the roads permanently.
The Chief Minister informed that 300 houses were partially or completely damaged in Chopal area. He directed the administration to provide immediate relief of rupees one lakh each for partially damaged houses. The Deputy Commissioner was instructed to provide rupees three lakh each for restoring the connectivity of link roads of 15 panchayats of Balsan area.
He said the central team has recently visited the State to assess the damages and the state government was hopeful that the first installment of interim relief would be released by the union government shortly.
He said that a sum of Rs. 315 crore was pending under NDRF for the last few years due to some audit objections and the matter was taken up with the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah in a recent visit to Delhi.
“I have been informed that out of Rs. 315 crore, Rs. 189 crore has been released by the union government, and the state has urged to release the remaining amount soon” said Sukhu
The compensation for the rain and flood affected families have also been enhanced multifold, almost 10 times more, in wake of the unprecedented damages caused to life and property.
He said that the compensation amount for partially damaged houses has been increased to rupees one lakh, while a proposal to enhance compensation to completely damaged houses was under consideration of the state government.
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has thanked the centre for providing liberal financial help to the state in the wake of damages suffered by the state.
