Kullu: Making a dash to the flood affected areas of Kullu-Manali valley chief minister Jairam Thakur today told reporters that the losses were much from the unusually heavy rains in the last four days. “These losses are yet to be assessed but the damages suffered from the earlier rains in the season have been assessed at over Rs 1230 crore,” said Thakur.
The CM visited Kullu today and oversaw the rehabilitation and rescue operations being undertaken. He also made an aerial survey of Lahaul valley upto Chander Taal to access the damages caused by untimely snowfall.
Addressing media persons the chief minister said that the state government had urged the Union Government to provide liberal assistance and Rs 200 crore as immediate relief for undertaking relief, restoration and rehabilitation works.
He disclosed that the state had released about Rs 230 crores for rehabilitation works and in addition Rs. 30 crore for undertaking maintenance of roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
He said that on the request of the state government for evacuating stranded people in flood hit areas and Lahaul-Spiti, the central government has provided 3 helicopters of Indian Air Force to carry out rescue and relief operations, which included tourists left stranded in Lahaul valley due to untimely and sudden heavy snowfall.
There are reports of about 200 people being stranded at Koksar and another 300 at Baralacha who are being provided food and and medicines by administration. CM also assured of the well being and safety of all the students of IIT Roorkee who had been evacuated to Army Base Camp at Sisu.
Chief Minister said that the district administration of Kullu had provided blankets, tents and other required materials to migrant workers who were without shelter due to the flash floods.
Jairam Thakur assured about restoration of damaged roads on both banks of Beas river between Kullu and Manali, restoring of electricity supply lines and damaged water supply pipes in Manali area within a week.
Those who accompanies the chief minister included agriculture minister Dr. Ram Lal Markanda, transport and forest minister Govind Thakur, former MP Maheshwar Singh, MLA Banjar Surinder Shourie, additional chief secretary cum principal secretary Dr. Shrikant Baldi, DC Kullu Yunus , district police chief Kullu Shalini Agnihotri and other senior officers.
A theater artist, a script writer and a TV anchor, news is something that grips Renuka. She lives in Kullu.
