Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state was now safe for tourists to visit.

All the roads leading to famous tourist destinations Shimla, Dalhousie, Kasauli, Dharamshala, Macleodganj, were open and safe to travel, he said while talking to the media on his two-day visit to his home district Hamirpur on Tuesday.

“The recent spell of heavy rains during monsoons, though disrupted the National Highways and other roads, the state government restored the same on a war footing, and tourists are welcome to the state,” he said.

Mining activities have been banned in the state till 15 September on the river basins of Beas and its tributaries besides other rivers.

He said that the state government will recruit 1200 police personnel who besides curbing the drug menace will also play the role of tourism police.

The government also mulls to change recruitment rules in police department, he said.

Replying to the media on the issue of ‘Rajya Chayan Ayog’(Himachal Pradesh State Staff Selection Commission), the Chief Minister said that the Ayog will be opened in Hamirpur itself, in the existing complex.

The Chief Minister visited the disaster-affected families in the Badsar Assembly segment interacted with them and assured to provide all possible assistance to them.

He handed over the revenue papers of the land measuring six marlas each to the three families in Guru-da-Ban, whose land was washed away and houses declared unsafe.

The Chief Minister also directed the district administration to provide land to others as well who have lost their shelters.

The Chief Minister stated that the state government will soon provide land to others, severely affected by the disaster.

Sukhu said that the state government stands with them in this hour of distress.

He visited Jabbal Kheriyan, Guru-da-Ban, Bhebad, Samtana Khurd and Lahari Salan to assess the damages caused to the families due to heavy monsoon rains.

The Chief Minister also instructed to provide help to those whose houses have been damaged in Samtana village of Badsar constituency.

Sukhu also went to landslip areas in Lahari.