Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said both BJP and Congress should come together to get a special relief package and relaxation in the Forest Conservation Act from the Central Government for the rehabilitation of disaster-affected people in Himachal Pradesh.
Sukhu was responding to the BJP’s allegation of discrimination in the distribution of disaster relief on political grounds during a debate under Rule 67 on the opening day of the monsoon session in the Vidhan Sabha today. He sought cooperation from the BJP in getting financial help from the Central Government.
Sukhu said, “We are willing to go under your leadership to thank the Prime Minister if Himachal is given a special financial package. The blame game will not help, as the incidents of cloudburst are happening every day.”
He said, “In times of rain disasters and profound grief, the state government and the Opposition must join hands in providing relief to the affected people, as a catastrophe can hit any part of the state.”
He added, “I urge the Central Government to compensate Himachal for the Rs 10,000 crore losses suffered during the 2023 monsoon season, as the state got mere Rs 2,000 crore.”
Sukhu rubbished the BJP’s allegation of discrimination and said that the state government had been making efforts to provide help parts from its limited resources to people not only in Seraj but also in all disaster-hit areas of Mandi, Kullu, Shimla, Chamba, Kinnaur and Una.
He said that Himachal had got nothing under the NDRF even 45 days after the June 30 disaster in Seraj. “In a federal structure, every state government routinely gets money under the SDRF and the NDRF, irrespective of which party is in power.
So far, not even one penny over and above the routine allocation has been received from the Central Government,” he added.
Sukhu said, “It is so unfortunate that BJP MLAs had staged a walk out when the Assembly was debating the issue of colossal damage caused by unprecedented heavy rain in 2023 to seek Central assistance.”
He lamented that Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur had sought area-specific relief only for Seraj in Mandi, which was not correct.
He said that there was no question of indulging in politics over the disaster and the government had issued a notification for providing as rent Rs 5,000 per month in rural areas and Rs 10,000 per month till the disaster-affected people rebuild their homes.
“I visited Seraj though pilots told me not go there. I insisted that ration need to be dropped so it was wrong to say that the state government didn’t extend any help,” he added.
Sukhu said that he had urged the Central Government to take up the construction of the Chatri-Jhanjeli-Seraj road, which is the lifeline of Seraj, as it would not be possible for the state government to fund such a big project.
Insult to National Flag can’t be tolerated
The people of Seraj had flung shoes and waived black flags at Revenue Minister Jagat Sing Negi, whose vehicle had the National Flag atop, the Chief Minister said
“The minister is not important but we will not tolerate the insult to the National Flag. If people tender an apology for insulting the Tricolor, we will drop the FIR registered against them, as our intention is not to harass anyone,” he added
