Urgent rescue efforts needed in Seraj, Jai Ram urges Sukhu
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has urged the state government to intensify rescue and relief efforts in the flood-ravaged Seraj Assembly constituency of Mandi district, where more than 24 persons were missing and the scale of destruction has been described as “unprecedented”.
Thakur visited the disaster-hit areas of Kuklah and Bagsyad of Mandi today. He expressed concern over the lack of electricity and communication services in the region for the past three days. “Reaching Thunag has become nearly impossible, as the main road to Janjehli has completely been swept away,” he added.
He said, “Many tourists are stranded but administrative teams have not been able to reach villages like Pakhrair, where cloudbursts have swept away people.”
Thakur said that roads were blocked due to massive landslides and over 25 bridges, both large and small, had either collapsed or had been severely damaged. “Residents are forced to walk miles to procure goods of basic necessity. In villages like Sharan, 10 to 12 houses have been completely destroyed and around 200 houses have sustained heavy damage,” he added.
He said that the Thunag area had seen similar devastation, as over 150 houses had been completely destroyed while many others had suffered partial damage. Despite dire conditions, no relief had yet been provided to the affected people nor administrative teams had reached many affected locations, he added.
Thakur said that he had spoken with the Chief Minister and urged him to issue strict directives to the local administration. “This disaster is unlike anything Seraj had ever faced. Immediate, large-scale intervention is the only way forward,” he added.
According to Thakur, 11 persons were missing from Daisy village of Pakhrair panchayat, five from Thunag and two from Pandavsheela. “Homes and shops have washed away. This scale of damage has never been seen in Seraj before,” he added.
He appealed to both state and Central governments to provide urgent financial assistance. He contacted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who promptly dispatched two Indian Air Force helicopters and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to the affected areas.
Thakur said, “I spoke with NDRF Commandant Rajneesh at the site and requested him to carry out a search operation for the missing persons on a war-footing,” he added.
He also held meetings with the Chief Engineers of the Jal Shakti Department, Public Works Department and the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board and discussed relief and rehabilitation strategies with the Deputy Commissioner and the SP at night.
As bridges at Kuklah and Bakhli had washed away in flashfloods, Thakur travelled to the affected areas in a ropeway from Kainchi Modh. He urged the ropeway authorities to operate it 24×7 at subsidised charges. “Residents should be allowed to transport ration and essential supplies through the ropeway, as there is no other means of transport,” he added.
He instructed officials to begin road restoration work immediately. He was in constant touch with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the Central Government, he added.
Himachal Tribune