The state government has released Rs. 96.50 crore for relief and rescue operation in the state following losses to human life and the property due to heavy rainfall during last 24 hours.Chief Secretary Vineet Chawdhry disclosed this while presiding over a review meeting here today on damages caused due to rains in the state in which all the Deputy Commissioners participated through video conference. He said the state government has so far released Rs. 229 crores since 1 April, 2018 and more funds would be released as per the requirement of the districts.He said that as per the information received at the state headquarters, 16 casualties have been reported so far from various districts including one each in Bilaspur and Una districts, two in Hamirpur, four in Mandi and eight in Solan district.He said and interim relief has been distributed by the district administration to the affected families.The Chief Secretary directed the Deputy Commissioners to keep the educational institutes closed on 14 August, 2018 for the safety of the students keeping in view the prediction of bad weather. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that no tourist or local person go along river banks and also keeping close vigil on tracking activities.He said that adequate men and machinery had been deployed to restore the roads, water and electricity supply and funds have been released to Deputy Commissioners and concerned departments and there was no shortage of essential commodities in any part of the state.
Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and PWD Manisha Nanda said that 923 roads were closed due to landslides in the state including six national highways and the department has deployed machinery to make these roads through as soon as possible. She said adequate funds were available for rescue and relied measure and the Deputy Commissioners can hire the local machinery, if required for clearing the roads and other restoration works.Deputy Commissioner, Kullu informed that the Manali national highway was blocked due to constant landslides and efforts were on to clear the road on war footings. In Kangra district, traffic was affected on 85 roads and most of these would be cleared by Monday evening. Pathankot-Mandi road has been cleared for light vehicles and the people stranded in Lambagaon were being rescued by the administration.Deputy Commissioner Shimla informed that traffic movement has been brought back to normalcy in the Shimla town and electricity supply would also be restored in all the areas by Monday evening.In Hamirpur district, two casualties were reported in Bhoranj area due to landslips. The DC informed that 50 roads have been reopened for traffic and remaining 13 roads would be restored by tomorrow.
Deputy Commissioner Solan informed that eight casualties have been reported in Solan district. In all, 102 roads have been damaged in the district out of which traffic has been restored on 62 roads. The Kumarhatti-Nahan road has also been reopened for light vehicles.In Bilaspur district, Swarghat national highway and Bilaspur-Shimla road has also been made through for traffic while the work on restoring the interior roads was on progress. In Kinnaur district, Maling Nallah and Skibba roads have been restored and the road to Sangla valley would also be made through by today evening where few tourists are stranded.In Lahaul-Spiti district, Sumdo-Kaza-Gramphu road is blocked due to landslide and Meling-Kaza road has been restored.One casualty has been reported in Mandi district and the vehicular traffic has been suspended as water approached to the main road near Hanogi on national highway-21.Additional Chief Secretaries Dr. Shrikant Baldi and Tarun Kapoor, Secretary IPH Devesh Kumar, Special Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management D.C Rana and other senior officers of various departments attended the meeting.