What Preparations Are Being Made for PM Modi’s Visit to Disaster-Stricken Himachal?

Dharamsala, Sep 8 (NationPress) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit Himachal Pradesh to evaluate the extensive damage caused by recent heavy rains, Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur conducted a review of the arrangements for this important visit.

In a casual conversation with the press, BJP leader Thakur expressed his appreciation for PM Modi's commitment to visiting the state and surveying the affected regions.

“On behalf of all residents of Himachal Pradesh, we sincerely thank the Prime Minister for supporting us in this challenging time and sharing our sorrow,” he stated.

The former Chief Minister mentioned he would inform the Prime Minister about the extensive damage to both public and private properties to facilitate maximum financial aid for the state.

He also expressed gratitude towards the Prime Minister for deploying central agencies like NDRF, along with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, to assist in relief and rescue operations.

Thakur remarked that this disaster has inflicted “irreparable wounds” on the community.

“Typically, the monsoon subsides in September, but this year, the state continues to face heavy rainfall, landslides, and cloudbursts, leading to significant loss of life and property. We had previously raised this concern to the Centre. Multi-sectoral teams have also been established by the Home Minister to analyze these disasters,” he added.

Thakur recalled the catastrophic events of June 30, when the monsoon began, which led to devastating losses in Mandi district.

“On that fateful day alone, 42 lives were lost, and countless individuals were rendered homeless. Now, even in September, we are seeing images of destruction from across the state,” he lamented.

This calamity is also affecting the horticulture and agriculture sectors.

“The apple harvest is ready, but the roads are blocked. The apple economy, worth thousands of crores, is on the brink of collapse. The government must restore the roads quickly, or else the apples will spoil in the orchards. Similarly, vegetables are also rotting due to transportation issues,” he warned.

Additionally, he noted that the Central government has allocated Rs 5,150 crore to the state for various disaster relief efforts.

“During the recently concluded Assembly session, we learned that only Rs 300 crore has been distributed to those affected by the disaster,” he added.

The state has assessed the total losses from natural disasters to be over Rs 4,000 crore. Since the start of the monsoon, at least 203 individuals have lost their lives due to 136 landslides, 95 flash floods, and 45 cloudbursts throughout the state.