Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1217 crore due to excessive rains, flash floods and cloud bursts in Monsoons this year, which claimed 264 lives, including 199 deaths due to road accidents caused by damaged roads.
Disclosing this at a meeting to review the Monsoon related losses from 1 July to 17 September in 2018, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said as many as 33 cloud bursts ad 391 landslides took place in the state, which resulted in huge losses in Himachal.
He said Rs 229. 64 crore have been released for restoration and repair of damaged infrastructure.
The CM said that Public Works Department suffered maximum losses of Rs 735 crore due to rains in form of damages to roads, bridges, breast walls, retaining walls etc. He said that it has been observed that although maximum damages were due to heavy rains but unplanned dumping of debris was also another cause of damages to the roads.
He said that proper dumping sites must be identified and it must be ensured that the debris was disposed off in the marked and identified places. He said that effective cross drainage and side drainage facilities should be maintained to ensure proper drainage system. Thakur said that Irrigation and Public Health Department also suffered losses of Rs 328.78 crore. Several major, medium and minor drinking water supply and irrigation schemes had been damaged due to landslides and heavy rains.
The agriculture and horticulture sectors also suffered a loss of Rs 88.81 crore while power sector suffered a loss to the tune of Rs 24.50 crore.
He said that one company of NDRF had been positioned at Nurpur in Kangra district besides daily monitoring of water level in major rivers was also being ensured.
For the first time, landslide sensors were installed at Kotrupi and Aut in Mandi district for early warning of landslides to avoid any untoward incidents.
The CM said that state government would soon submit memorandum of losses and damages to the Government of India for financial assistance.