Anurag Thakur: Centre is openly helping HP in disaster

Samirpur (HP): Union Information-cum- The Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur, said on Tuesday that the central government was openly helping the people of the state in this disaster that had created havoc all over the state.

He said this during his visit to the local areas that suffered huge losses due to heavy rains and landslides last week.

While talking to the people, he said by understanding the pain of the affected people, the central government has openly helped the state and given relief worth crores of rupees, but the state government is still giving a nominal amount to the victims. This was not good, and concrete efforts should be taken to help the disaster-affected people across the state.

He took stock of the damage caused by the rains in flood-affected Tehra, Sajao Piplu, Riyur, Dharampur, Siddhpur, Saklana, Dhalara, Kothawan, Sandhol, Tounidevi, Samirpur, Panjot, and nearby Mandi and Hamirpur areas. He said the damage is so great that many people’s houses have collapsed or are on the verge of collapse. Many families are living in relief camps, and the state government is not taking care of them.

The state is being continuously helped by the central government, and more ways are being found to help. He is standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of the state.

Thakur said he had also spoken to the Chief Minister about this and had demanded proper compensation for the affected. He said until the roads are restored in Dharampur, to give relief to the people, the government should provide facilities by hiring taxis and restore the roads soon. He said the state government should mention the relief being received from the Centre by rising above party politics.

Normal life has come to a complete standstill following heavy to very heavy rainfall in all parts of the district since Monday night.

The water level in the River Beas and its tributaries has started rising due to heavy rainfall in its catchments.

Attendance in schools was thin at most of the places as the parents preferred not to send their wards to school due to the bad weather, according to official sources.

Reports reaching here revealed that road traffic has come to a grinding halt at many places, and people are forced to move from one place to another barefoot.

The main road leading to Sujanpur from Hamirpur via the Anu area has once again been badly hit due to heavy landslides on the track, especially behind the official residence of the Deputy Commissioner. This area had also seen landslides earlier, and the road traffic for light vehicles was restored only two days ago.

A spokesman for the district administration said the staff of the public works department, power board, and Jal Shakti department were busy maintaining their services.

He appealed to the people not to venture out during the rains and refrain from going towards the River Beas and other khads flowing through the district.

The spokesman said the department of weather had already issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the district from Tuesday until August 25.

UNI