10 months after cloudburst in Leh, lack of funds hit relief work

Ten months after a deadly natural disaster claimed over 250 lives, rehabilitation work is hitting a roadblock due to the paucity of funds. While locals complain of lackadaisical approach of the state in rebuilding the infrastructure in the ravaged city, authorities seek to shift the blame on the Centre for not sanctioning over Rs 130 crore for the rehabilitation.

Ten months after a deadly natural disaster claimed over 250 lives, rehabilitation work is hitting a roadblock due to the paucity of funds. While locals complain of lackadaisical approach of the state in rebuilding the infrastructure in the ravaged city, authorities seek to shift the blame on the Centre for not sanctioning over Rs 130 crore for the rehabilitation.

HT Image

Piles of mud and stone are still lying at Choglumsar, which bore the major brunt of the cloudburst and flashflood.

Except national highways, other link roads are awaiting their restoration in the city, which were badly damaged in the disaster that struck on the intervening night of August 5-6 last year.

"Rehabilitation work is being done in a systematic way," Leh deputy commissioner Tsering Angchok said.