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‘Monsoon havoc caused ₹1,100-cr loss to Himachal’: CM Sukhu
At least 85 lives have been lost, and 34 people are still missing, the CM says.
Himachal Pradesh is still assessing losses from cloudbursts, landslides and flash floods that have hit the state over the past three weeks. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, 61, is working to deliver relief and rehabilitation after the second major natural disaster to strike the hill state in two years. In a conversation with Hindustan Times at his official Oakover residence in Shimla on Saturday, Sukhu spoke about his challenges, expectations from the Centre and priorities for the second half of his five-year term. Edited excerpts:
Himachal is currently reeling under its second major natural disaster in the last two years due to monsoon fury. What is your assessment of the damage suffered so far?
The recent disaster has caused an estimated loss of ₹1,100 crore. At least 85 lives have been lost, and 34 people are still missing. Mandi district and adjoining parts of Kullu have borne the brunt of the damage. A hydro-electric project in the region alone suffered losses worth ₹100 crore. The calamity has also severely hit the monsoon tourism season. The monsoon began just three weeks ago and is still active — it’s difficult to predict what lies ahead.
What are the reasons behind the increasing frequency of such weather-related calamities in Himachal?
It’s primarily due to climate change. Until a few years ago, the cold desert regions of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur received barely 10% rainfall, but today it’s closer to 30%. Climate change has led to a surge in cloudbursts, triggering violent flash floods and massive landslides with little to no warning for people in vulnerable areas. Himachal has never experienced so many monsoon-induced cloudbursts before. We’ve asked the Centre to commission a scientific study into this alarming phenomenon.
You recently met Union ministers seeking early release of disaster relief funds. What has been the response so far?
On the instructions of Union home minister Amit Shah ji, a central team arrived in Himachal Pradesh on Friday (July 18). I’ve also requested him to personally visit the affected areas. I’m hopeful we’ll soon receive the first tranche of central funds for relief, rehabilitation, and rebuilding damaged infrastructure.
One of the biggest challenges we face is the relocation of families whose homes were completely destroyed in landslides or floods. About 68% of the land in Himachal is classified as forest land, and safe relocation is often only possible within these areas. But the state lacks the authority to approve such moves.
So, I’ve requested the Union government to amend the Forest Act to allow diversion of one bigha of forest land per affected family. They cannot be resettled in vulnerable zones.
Meanwhile, the state is offering a ₹7 lakh relief package to people whose homes were washed away.
Were you satisfied with the Centre’s assistance for the 2023 natural disaster?
A central team had assessed our 2023 losses at ₹9,500 crore. However, two years later, we’ve received only ₹2,000 crore in post-disaster need assessment funds — ₹500 crore of that was from the state’s own share. There was no special grant from the Centre. We only benefited from a change in disaster management rules. The state government spent ₹4,500 crore from its own resources to rebuild damaged infrastructure. We had hoped the Centre would compensate for that, given the financial strain it placed on us.
Do you believe there’s a partisan approach by the Centre towards Congress-ruled Himachal in terms of disaster relief?
I wouldn’t put it that way, but I do expect the Centre to be more generous with compensation. The ₹1,500 crore we received last time was far too meagre, considering the scale of destruction.
How much is human negligence — such as haphazard and illegal construction in river beds — responsible for worsening these disasters? What lessons have been learned since 2023?
We’ve taken strong measures against illegal construction in flood-prone areas. A blanket ban is now in place on any construction within 50 metres of river beds and streams. Many high-risk zones have been designated as “green areas” where no construction is permitted. Based on the hard lessons of 2023, our disaster response was much swifter this time, with immediate rescue and relief operations.
In your meeting with the finance commission chairperson, you called for a separate funding pattern for Himalayan states. What’s your rationale?
The Himalayan states, including Himachal, definitely require a separate budgetary allocation. Himachal is home to five rivers, which are lifelines for Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi. Besides, 34% of our area falls under cold desert zones fed by glaciers. But since the Centre doesn’t count cold desert regions as forest cover, it reduces our share of central funds. That definition needs to change.
Additionally, we’re demanding a 12% royalty on power generated by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), which Punjab and Haryana have been opposing. In 2011, the Supreme Court awarded us ₹4,300 crore as our share from BBMB, but we’ve yet to receive a single rupee. A legal fight is now our only option.
How is the fiscal health of Himachal at present?
It’s under stress. Our debt has risen to ₹95,000 crore. This is partly because the ₹1,600 crore in additional borrowing we previously received was stopped after we reinstated the Old Pension Scheme. Our revenue deficit grant, which was ₹11,000 crore in 2016–17, has dropped to ₹3,000 crore. Much of our borrowing goes into debt servicing. I’ve requested the Union finance minister to allow a 2% hike in borrowing under the GST framework. That said, the good news is that our economy is recovering, thanks to sound policies over the past two-and-a-half years. Our goal is to make Himachal self-reliant by 2027 — and we’re making steady progress.
The high court has ordered the removal of illegal orchards on encroached forest land, sparking protests from farmers. How will your government respond?
We had proposed auctioning, leasing, or selling the disputed orchards, but the high court didn’t accept that. We now plan to challenge the order in the Supreme Court.
