Chief Minister directs to conduct relief and restoration works on war footing

Presides over disaster review meeting

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presided over the disaster review meeting of five districts Chamba, Kullu, Lahaul Spiti, Kangra and Mandi through a video conference from New Delhi today.

He discussed in length the present situation with Divisional Commissioner, Kangra, stationed at Chamba besides with Deputy Commissioner Chamba and Superintendent of Police who both are stationed at Bharmour. The Chief Minister sought information about the stranded Manimahesh Yatris, the losses incurred due to flash floods and heavy rains besides the status of relief and restoration works being carried out.

It was apprised that all the stranded all the devotees were safe and secure and were being well attended and proper arrangement of food, shelter, first aid etc has been made for them.

The Chief Minister directed to restore the communication services in other parts of the district, particularly in Bharmour so that the people struck up there could connect to their near and dear ones. In addition, directions were issued to make arrangements for safe return of the devotees back to their homes who were sheltered in large numbers in Chamba Chaugan. It was also informed in the meeting that Jio, Airtel and BSNL services has been restored in Chamba town. It was also informed in the meeting that the 25 Kms road towards Bharmour from Chamba has been opened.

The Chief Minister directed the officers of district administration of Chamba and Bharmour to accord utmost priority to evacuate the Manimahesh Yatris, especially the women and the children. Directions were issued to airlift the ill and elderly. He directed to provide basic amenities besides providing food, shelter, first aid etc to those stranded and issued directions to facilitate them so that they could safely reach till their destination. Besides, he also directed to airdrop food at places not accessible easily and where devotees were stranded. He asked to acquire proper stock of ration, vegetables etc and to press air force helicopters in service and to assign responsibility to officers to ensure patch-wise restoration of roads, which were either washed away or blocked due to landslides. He asked to rope-in additional manpower and machinery to clear the roads and stressed for swift restoration of roads and restore water and electricity schemes.

The Chief Minister was also apprised about the status of roads blocked, disrupted electricity, irrigation and drinking water schemes, and about the communication services in the affected districts.

The Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners of Mandi and Kullu to ensure smooth vehicular movement through other alternate routes and added that drinking water schemes and electricity should be restored at the earliest besides opening of the blocked roads. Inquiring about the situation of Bara-Bhangal in Kangra district the Chief Minister directed to airdrop food grains and other essentials for the people there. He also asked to carry out speedy assessment of the land that had been washed away in the floods.

He also took stock of restoration works at Indora, Fatehpur and Pong dam. It was informed in the meeting that water level in Pong dam has decreased and people were relocated safely from areas submerged.

Sh. Sukhu directed Deputy Commissioner Lahaul & Spiti to make efforts to evacuate all the tourists by today evening. It was informed later by DC Lahaul-spiti, that around 380 tourists who were stranded in Sissu have been evacuated safely today. The Chief Minister asked to ensure evacuation of tourists through safe alternate routes. The Deputy Commissioner informed that Jio and Airtel services have been restored and further efforts were on for restoration of other networks. It was also informed that the power supply has been restored at many places and the generation has been started in Thirot electricity sub-station.

He also asked the Chief Secretary to coordinate with the district administration for proper execution of the same.

It was also informed in the meeting that the Pathankot-Chamba road has been opened for all types of vehicles and small vehicles were plying via Kamand-Katola road towards Kullu. However, the Chief Minister directed that the district administration should ensure that this alternate route should be restricted to small vehicles and the heavy vehicles should be stopped at Mandi till the roads are cleared. It was also informed that as of now, the Kullu- Mandi NH-03 has been opened for small vehicles. As per reports all the major roads in Mandi has been through expect that of Mandi-Sarkaghat via Basahi/Dharampur

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena apprised the Chief Minister that he was monitoring the situation on daily basis and was taking appropriate steps to provide relief to the affected persons. Besides, Divisional Commissioner, DIG Kangra has been stationed at Chamba

Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and officers of the five districts attended the meeting virtually.

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Work to restore normalcy and clear road blockades on war footing : CS

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena took a review meeting to enquire about the situation of roads in Chamba and other districts affected by the landslides and floods here on Friday.

It was informed in the meeting that the road from Chamba to Salooni uptill Koti bridge has been through and from Koti bridge in Salooni subdivision to village Sanghani has been opened for small vehicles and was likely to be opened till Saturday for heavy ones.

The work of opening of road from Sanghani to Khundimaral, bordering Jammu and Kashmir was in progress.

The Chief Secretary stated that at present there were around 1500 people stationed at Chamba chowgan and were being taken care of by the district administration and the local people have also come forward to extend help.

Besides, it was also informed that the district administration Chamba has made arrangements of buses and Taxi's from Nurpur, Kangra and Pathankot depot to evacuate around 5000 who have left on foot from Bharmour to Chamba and were being extended all help en-route Chamba.

As many as five sorties were made by helicopters and 25 people have been brought back to Chamba from Bharmour. Adequate food grains have been airlifted to Bharmour along with officials and mechanical wing of PWD.

It was also informed by Director-cum-Special Secretary, Disaster Management, D.C Rana that the communication services has been restored in Chowari, Chamba, Salooni, Tissa and Dalhousie and efforts were afoot to restore the same in Bharmour.

Fuel has been sent to restore network through generators at Jispa, Dracha and Miyar in Lahaul and Spiti.

KK Pant Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, Dr. Abhishek Jain Secretary PWD, Harbans Singh Brascon, Special Secretary PWD, Praveen Taak Joint Secretary GAD were also present on the occasion.

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