Shimla, Jan 13 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Sukhu, traveled to Tandi Village in the Banjar Valley of Kullu district on Monday to interact with families who were affected by a devastating fire earlier this month, which resulted in the destruction of numerous wooden houses constructed in the traditional ‘Kath-Kuni’ style.

During his visit, he evaluated the current relief efforts and directed officials to accelerate the process with urgency. The Chief Minister disclosed that the state government would offer a financial aid of Rs 5,000 monthly for a duration of six months to families who are now residing in rented homes due to the fire incident. Should the reconstruction of their residences not be finalized within this timeframe, the government will continue the rental support for an extra six months.

Moreover, he announced a sum of Rs 50,000 to assist in the building of cattle shelters. For families whose homes were entirely destroyed or rendered unlivable, the Chief Minister pledged financial help amounting to Rs 7 lakh for rebuilding purposes. He also committed to providing free electricity and water connections, timber supplies according to regulations for reconstruction, and essential items such as cooking utensils, clothing, and other necessities.

Additionally, the Chief Minister allocated Rs 75 lakh for developing a metal road within the village and Rs 1 crore for repairing the four-kilometer road that leads to Tandi. In a bid to improve safety measures in the area, he proposed the establishment of a fire station in Banjar. He also promised to work on resolving the local low-voltage electricity issue by exploring the potential for a solar power initiative.

Present during the visit were MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur, former minister Khimi Ram Sharma, Chairman APMC Ram Singh Miyan, Chairman Zila Parishad Pankaj Parmar, along with the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police Kullu.

To mitigate the risk of future fire incidents, the District Disaster Management Authority has pinpointed locations in remote villages to construct RCC and prefabricated water tanks. These tanks will be linked to pipelines and fire hydrants to effectively manage fires in rural areas that have limited vehicle access.