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Fresh landslides, flash floods mount challenges for rain-battered Himachal
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state’s debt burden has mounted to ₹75,000 crore and it could take a decade to rebuild the damaged infrastructure without the Union government’s help
Heavy rains triggered fresh landslides and flash floods this week in Himachal Pradesh and left at least 12 people dead even as extremely heavy rainfall was forecast on Thursday, mounting challenges for the state government in rebuilding the ravaged state facing a debt burden and empty coffers.
At least 80 people died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh earlier this month, which prompted the state’s Congress government to declare a state calamity.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has pegged the total losses at over ₹10,000 crore. Rehabilitating people rendered homeless has emerged as the biggest challenge for his government.
Sukhu said despite the financial crunch, the state government has managed to extend all possible assistance. “We have been requesting the Union government to declare the disaster a national calamity and extend a special financial package to rebuild Himachal Pradesh.”
He said they have created a disaster relief fund and received ₹35 crore from Congress-ruled Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. Sukhu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls Himachal his second home while urging him to support the state in its hour of crisis on the lines of help extended following the 2013 flash floods in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath and the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat’s Bhuj. “Himachal deserves the same assistance.”
He said the state government’s debt burden has mounted to ₹75,000 crore and it could take a decade to rebuild the damaged infrastructure without the Union government’s help. Sukhu said the state was yet to receive any financial help from the Union government despite the losses incurred and the visits of central teams. “Of the relief amount of ₹315 crore, pending for three years, only ₹189 crore was released... under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), we have got ₹360 crore so far.”
Sukhu said the Union government released the first instalment of ₹180 crore in June and the second of ₹180 crore in December in advance. “If we add the amount received as our share, it amounts to ₹549 crore. So our share is still pending with the Union government,” Sukhu said.
He said Himachal Pradesh will be back on its feet with the support of the people. “It will take time; at least four years and in the next decade, we will become self-reliant. I am sure we can overcome the challenges.”
Union minister Anurag Thakur, who is from Himachal, on Tuesday said the central government will provide all possible assistance to Himachal Pradesh as per rules. “It has also approved the release of ₹200 crore as an advance from the National Disaster Response Fund to help take up relief measures.”
The State Disaster Management Authority said the public works department (PWD), responsible for building roads and bridges which is the lifeline of the hill state with skeletal rail and air connectivity, has suffered the maximum loss of ₹3,000 crore.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari announced ₹400 crore for rebuilding roads and ₹200 crore for the SDRF.
The Jal Shakti department has pegged its losses so far at ₹1,860 crore. The State Electricity Board said it has suffered losses of ₹1,707 crore, the agricultural department ₹336 crore and the horticulture department ₹173 crore.
Sukhu sought immediate financial assistance of ₹2000 crore after the August 15 landslide claimed 17 lives in Shimla. He changed the relief manual which earlier provided for ₹25000 as compensation for fully damaged houses. The new manual says ₹100000 will now be provided to rebuild fully damaged houses. The government has also increased compensation for crop damage.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jai Ram Thakur said the catastrophe has pushed the state backwards. “Rebuilding is a challenging task for the state. The Opposition is extending every cooperation.”
Retired bureaucrat Deepak Sanan said Sukhu is seeking an annual allocation of ₹360 crore under the SDRF. “There is a government at the Centre which wants to bring all Opposition-ruled states on its knees. The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh should keep pressing for funds and other states should join. Congress should continue to fight for SDRF, after all its calamity that has affected the entire population of the state.”
