Natural disaster aftermath: World Bank assures support to Himachal Pradesh
SHIMLA: Even as Himachal Pradesh continues to grapple with landslides and cloudbursts, the World Bank has come-out in support of the state government ensuring support on the reconstruction and redevelopment activities in the state to bring the state’s economy back on the tracks.
It is due to the worst-ever damage to the infrastructure, highways, roads, water and power supply schemes. It has also caused the worst effect on the tourism industry.
The World Bank, on Saturday, praised the exemplary efforts of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in effectively managing the recent calamitous events.
Auguste Tano Kouame, the Country director for India, conveyed the Bank’s appreciation in a letter, lauding the chief minister’s extraordinary leadership abilities to deal with the natural calamity competently.
The letter acknowledged the timely and responsive measures taken by Sukhu, including personal monitoring and ensuring the safe return of tourists stranded in different parts of the state demonstrating leadership abilities.
Expressing gratitude, the chief minister said that Himachal Pradesh underwent significant hardships due to the recent devastation and added that it would take at least one year to cover up the damages and restoration works caused by the tragedy.
He said that so far, a loss of more than Rs 8000 crore has been estimated and the permanent restoration of lifelines such as roads, bridges, power, and water supply was the priority of the state government. He emphasized that this is an exceptionally challenging time for the people of the state, and the support from the World Bank would prove vital in the recovery process.
World Bank has further offered to provide full support to Himachal, including a comprehensive assessment of the damages.
It has offered to conduct an assessment in collaboration with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to quantify losses suffered in various sectors such as roads, power, water supply, housing, public buildings, irrigation, agriculture, horticulture, livestock, ecological services etc.
The proposed assessment is intended to play a pivotal role in aiding the recovery process and facilitating the reconstruction efforts.
Furthermore, the World Bank stands ready to offer technical assistance for recovery and reconstruction, disaster risk management, infrastructure design, ecosystem services, and livelihood resilience.
The chief minister expressed his gratitude to the World Bank for its generous support to the people of Himachal during testing times. With the aid of the World Bank’s assistance, the state can embark on a path of recovery and reconstruction, working towards restoring normalcy, he said.
