Sukhu declares entire state as natural calamity-affected area

Sukhu targets BJP MPs, Pratibha Singh

With the Opposition seeking to corner him over his “Bihari architects” remarks, Sukhu sought to put the four Lok Sabha MPs from Himachal Pradesh, including three of the BJP and one of the ruling Congress, in the dock asking if they had raised in Delhi the issue of devastation caused by the rains in the hill state.

Seeking to distance himself from the remarks, Sukhu asked BJP to “stop playing politics in this hour of distress”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda at least called him up and inquired about the situation in the state, Sukhu said. He then pointedly questioned the role of the four MPs from the state, suggesting that they failed to voice the concerns of the people.

He did not name them, but was apparently referring to the — Anurag Thakur (Hamirpur), Suresh Kashyap (Shimla) and Kishan Kapoor (Kangra), all from BJP. The fourth MP representing Mandi in the Lok Sabha is Pratibha Singh, who is is also the Congress state unit president.

Notably, Pratibha had been eyeing the chief minister’s post and had last month aired her grievances with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge regarding ‘non-coordination’ between the party and the state government. On Thursday, Union minister Anurag Thakur claimed that the Congress had shown its true colours by insulting people of Bihar by blaming them for the destruction in Himachal Pradesh. Speaking to The Indian Express on Wednesday, a recording of which is available, the CM had mentioned the term “Bihari architects” twice.

Meanwhile, Sukhu said rescue operations are going on in full swing and the state government is making efforts to help the affected families especially those whose houses have been damaged in the flash floods and landslides with its own resources.

“Central teams have inspected the affected areas for loss assessment and we need timely help from the Centre,” Sukhu said, adding the state has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 10,000 crore.

No clearance to roads sans proper drainage

He also said that proper drainage and cross-drainage system would be made mandatory for all roads in the state. He said that a high-level committee and monitoring teams would soon be constituted to look into the same.

The CM, in a statement, said that water seepage and cracks appearing in the roads caused huge damage in the absence of proper drainage and cross drainage system, adding, henceforth the new road constructions without proper drainage systems will not be approved or passed.

Asserting that scientific management would be ensured to prevent soil erosion and landslides on river banks in Kullu , Sukhu said the National Highways Authority of India and the public works department have been asked to take long-term measures in this regard.