Sonia Gandhi visits flood-hit Kinnaur district in HP

The UPA chairperson visited flood-hit areas of Kinnaur district in HP and also talked to the affected people.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday visited flood-hit areas of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh and also talked to the affected people, including some stranded tourists.

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Accompainied by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Chief Minister VB Singh, she was briefed about the damages suffered in the flash floods after the Sutlej river swelled, by an official at Rekong Peo, Kinnaur district headquarters.

She said on her arrival at the helipad here that roads and bridges in the area had been badly affected and the people were worried about their crops.

Gandhi said she also spoke to the stranded tourists who wanted to be evacuated by helicopter or some other means.

About 250 tourists were stranded, many had been evacuated and the state government was arranging for evacuation for the stranded tourists, she added.

She said the pea season was on and the apple and 'chilgoza' marketing season was round the corner, adding that the infrastructure had to be restored well in time.

Gandhi said she had asked Patil and Singh to provide all possible help to the affected people and that the Home Minister had already sanctioned six bailey bridges, though there was a demand for three more bridges.

The Home Minister was holding a meeting with the Chief Minister and senior officials of the state about the losses incurred due to the flash floods.